Sweet surrender
by disturbed Tapestry
Summary: Darien Volpe was on top of the world, rich, successful and very handsome. His perfect world built on money, power and beautiful women, suddenly....if u want to kno more check it out
1. Summary

Sweet surrender 

Summary:

 Darien Volpe was on top of the world, rich, successful and very handsome. His perfect world built on money, power and beautiful women, suddenly falls apart when his ex-wife Valessa dies, leaving him a full time father of a beautiful but under loved 4 year old, Ayane. A child he had turned his back on many, many years ago, simply because Valessa had said that he was not the father. Now he had to turn from billionaire tycoon to understanding father. And this could not have come at a worse time; his company is in the middle of a huge deal, a deal that needed his full attention. So he did the only reasonable thing, he hired a nanny. 

Serena Lane was down on her luck, no money, no job, and no place to live. Her last hope an ad for a stay in nanny. She didn't know what to expect when she walked into Volpe towers. Certainly not to be offered a job by Mr. Volpe himself. In a matter of days Serena had Ayane, cleaning up after herself, singing, drawing and doing everything other little girls did. Ayane no longer acted as if she were a doll. She even started calling Darien daddy, pleasing him immensely. Serena had done everything Darien had hoped she would, and then some. She made him think of something he had refused to even dream about, she made him think of a family. Could it be? Was the old tycoon in love with a nanny?

(A/n: ok what do u think? Do u like it? hate it? Let me know!)


	2. prologue

**Prologue**

The cool south breeze was blowing gently through the large French windows of the Volpes' huge Victorian house. The relative calm around the large ranch was a soothing difference to Rei Volpe's ears. She sat on the balcony railing over looking her family's impressive kingdom. But her eyes saw nothing but the face of her beloved. Jaden Connor was out on the range riding a beautiful brown horse. She didn't know what kind of horse he was riding, nor did she care. Her eyes were focused on him. His whip cord lean body, moving gracefully on the horse, his blonde hair brushing smoothly off his handsome face, his chiseled features stealing her breath away, his beautiful blue eyes making her melt. She had never felt this way about anyone, but then Jaden was different. The older of 2, and possibly the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. She continued staring at him, her mind filling with fantasies. Suddenly the sound of shattering glass caught her attention. 

"You bitch!" The booming voice of her brother sounded strange to her ears.

"It's not my fault you can't get it up!" The sneering voice of her brother's wife shrieked in response. 

"Fuck you!" Rei flinched at words, her brother rarely swore, and never to his wife.

"You couldn't now could you Darien!" 

"Get out of my house!"

"It's not your house…"

"The hell it isn't! Get the hell out of my house before I throw you out!"

"You can't throw me out of your father's house…"

"No, but I can throw you out of mine!"

"D…Darien?" Rei stammered. "W…what's going on?"

"Oh nothing, just your useless brother's throwing me out of your father's house…"

"It isn't our father's house" Rei interrupted.

"Get out Valessa before I do something I'm going to regret…"

"Like hitting me?"

"No like shooting you!" at his words her eyes widened.

"You wouldn't dare" she didn't seem convinced by her own words.

"Your trespassing, I can shoot you for being on my property, now get out!"

"Fine, not like I want to be here anyways!" and with her face the same flaming color as her hair, she turned and left. As soon as the door shut behind her, Darien turned on his heel and headed for his study.

"Dar…"

"No interruptions, if anyone calls for me I'm busy" he said in a voice devoid of any emotions. He slammed the doors shut and slid the lock closed.

Darien looked at his large oak doors, the gleaming silver handles, the beautiful carved patterns and the antique sliding lock, that could never be jimmied open. He wanted to break the door, for no other reason than to relieve his rage. He looked at it again, before turning his back and heading for the liquor cabinet behind his desk.

Six glasses of Brandy, a bottle of scotch, and 13 tequila shots later, Darien was very drunk. So drunk that he had not noticed his sister climb in through one window on his left.

"Darien? Are you ok?" she asked him, her voice trembling with fear.

"Oh I'm ok, I'm better than ok, I'm…I'm drunk!" he laughed a cold biting drunk laugh, his words slurred and barely comprehendible.

"Darien?"

"She left me you know? She was sleeping," he broke into hideous laughter; "sleeping with him!" he pointed to the picture over by the door.

"Darien…. That's…"

"Damn it I know who that… he… sick… I need another drink," he mumbled, reaching over to the decanter to his left. He poured rather shakily into the glass. "She said I wasn't good enough to…. And he… that…drunk…was better than…. We're out of scotch… be a lamb and get me some more will you?" he slurred.

"I think you've had enough Darien…"

"Don't you be telling me…. My head hurts… stupid bitch, she took my baby away…only it's not…. No brandy either," he mumbled.

"Darien, why don't you go to bed? Everything looks better in the morning…"

"Not without a good shot of Irish coffee, minus the coffee…. she use to say that… she use to say lots of things…. I think I loved her…. isn't that… ah, VODKA!"  He clapped his hands together, grabbing the bottle in front of him on his desk. 

"Darien, please, please go to sleep"

"Do you want some too? But you can't…your not…. She was… my head really hurts…"

"Dar…"

"You bastard! I loved her! Why… you always…" he screamed at the picture beside the door, in his fury he picked up the decanter and threw it at the picture, showering the floor with glass and wood chunks, the broken frame lay crashed against the floor.

"Served him right… you…. Rei is that you?" he mumbled turning suddenly to her. She nodded weakly. "Want some…"

"No it's ok Darien, I'm just going to go…"

"Ok… be careful of Jaden! He's… he's to old for you Rei…." He muttered. Her cheeks flamed.

"What do you mean be careful of Jaden?"

"You like him… I know," he laughed again "but they always hurt you Rei," he laughed again. "Even if they say they like you…" 

Rei started at him for a moment, then shook her head, and turned towards the door. She slid the lock open, and turned to look at him.

"Bye-bye Rei… come again soon…." He grinned at her. She smiled weakly. Then half ran out of his study and towards the front door. She ran out towards the Coral, looking around miserably… damn it where was Jaden?

"Hey honey" a soft deep voice said. She turned around and looked up at Jaden. He smiled at her as he dismounted. "What's the matter… you were running like a bat out of hell…"

"I…its Darien… he's… he's well… Drunk out of him mind!"

"No way, not Darien…" He grinned, and then stopped at the look on her face. "Are you ok?"

"No… he's…it's…" that was all she got out before she burst into tears. Jaden pulled her smoothly into his arms. Cradling her head. He could have kicked himself for forgetting the effect a male being drunk had on Rei.

"I'm sorry honey I didn't…"

"He's…so… so much like…like him… and…"

"Did he hit you?" he asked furiously, moving her forward so that he could examine her.

"No of course not, he would never… not even if he was drunk," she protested.

"Where is he right now?

"In his study, raving…"

"What happened? Darien wouldn't get drunk for no reason."

"Valessa and him had a fight… Darien was raving about her saying he wasn't good enough… something about a baby…"

"Oh lord in heaven" his eyes widened in shock. "Is…is he by himself?"

"No, Sheila's in the house…"

"Was he drinking when you left?"

"Yes…"

"Shit…we better get there before he gets any ideas…"

"What's going on?

"I'll tell you later, right now we had better get back to your house," He looked over her head at someone "Yo, Zoey, I'm going up to house, take the horse back to the stable ok?" 

"What am I your servant…?" a tall blonde man asked in a playful manner.

"No you're my damn ungrateful asshole of a brother, now get over here and do what I say…" Jaden said maliciously.

 "Whatever, ungrate…yo what's wrong with you guys?"

"Darien's drunk…" Jaden said simply.

"Shit…what the hell are you still doing out here for?" Jaden sighed exasperatedly at his brother's words.

"Clueless one, aren't you?"

"Save the insults for later ass, go on!" Jaden nodded to his brother before taking Rei's slender hand in his, completely missing the look on his brother's face. 

"Rei maybe you should stay here with Zoey…"

"He's my brother!"

"He's your _drunk_ brother!"

"So he would never…"

"You don't know that, I've seen your brother drunk before Rei, he gets plenty violent…"

"He's right Rei," Zoey agreed.

"He's MY brother! I won't let you go in there alone, Jaden he won't hit me, but he will hit you, and you know that…"

"Yes well if he hits me he can live with that, if he hits you he wouldn't be able to…"

"He won't hit me!"__

"Rei, if he does…"

"He won't!"

"Rei listen to me! If he hits you, I will hit him back, probably knock him out! Do you understand me? I can't let you come because I will hurt him for hurting you!" Rei stared at him for a moment not daring to believe what she had seen cross his eyes.

"W…why?"

"Why else Rei! I love you!" He stopped dead at his own words… he stared at her for a moment, his eyes wide, "I shouldn't have said that, I should not have said that…"

"D…did you mean them…?" her voice trembled. 

"Rei…"

"Did you mean them?" she asked again.

"I shouldn't have said it… it was to soon…"

"I have waited half my damned life to hear you say that! And _you_ think that it's too soon?!" she yelled at him in total fury.

"Does that mean…does…do you love me too?"

"Well no really! How could you be so dense?!"

"you…you do?" he moved closer to her, pulling her gently into his arms, she nodded. He smiled a devilish smile, dropping his focus to her mouth, her beautiful lips pleading with him to take them. He dropped his mouth down to hers, intent on taking it…

"Ahem…Darien!!" Zoey half yelled to get their attention. Hiding his own hurt behind a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

"Right…" Jaden groaned releasing her. He looked into her eyes. "Don't go anywhere beautiful" he smiled at her, before turning his back and running full out to the house, his mind filling with sweet dreams, and fear.


	3. Chapter one

Chapter One

Four years later 

"Darien" a soft female voice called out, he is running towards her. Trying to find her, "Who are you?" he screams out. She only laughs, sweet, soft musical laughter. "Come find me Darien…" He hears her next to him, he turns to grab her, but when he turns he faces someone he knows all too well. "Valessa?" He asks confused. Her Green eyes flash at him. She grins maliciously. "Were you expecting someone else? No one would ever want you Darien…" She pulls out a small object, with a flick of her slender thumb, a gleaming something flashes at him. She shoves it forward into his stomach. "Valessa…" "Wake up Darien, Wake up" a shrill ringing goes off somewhere behind him. Where is that noise coming from? He thinks wildly. "Wake up Darien, its time to wake…"

"…up!" Darien Volpe woke with start, his head throbbing from where he smashed it on his headboard. "Damn it…" 

"Wake up Darien! Wake up…" he looked over at his phone. Answering machine, he thought with some relief. "Ah, fine, call me" the soft click told him that the message was over. Who was that? He wondered, still disoriented. He looked over at his caller I.D, '_Francesca Frederica' _He groaned, Francesca was the heir of the fashion Powerhouse Frank-Fred. He reached over and deleted her message. He stared at the phone for a minute. Then pulled himself out of bed, and headed for the shower, that was what he needed, a nice long warm shower.

A soaking, dripping, wet, be toweled, Darien walked out of the shower and into his bedroom to answer his ringing phone. 

"This had better be important," he snapped.

"It is Mr. Volpe…"

"Is that you Gus?

"Yes sir it is…"

"You're early!"

"No sir I am not, it's 9:30…"

"Damn it… where are you?"

"In front of your building…"

"Alright I'll be down in 20 minutes, call my secretary and tell her I'll be late alright?"

"Yes sir" Darien's chauffer hung up. Darien slammed his phone into the cradle. He swore loudly. This was turning out to be one hell of a day. He laughed and then pulled open his closet, and stared at his almost identical suits. He fought a crazy urge to laugh again, and reached for the black one in the corner. 

30 minutes later, a fully clothed Darien, walked out of his building towards his Chauffeured limo. A tall burly man walked out of the car, and opened Darien's door.

"Good morning sir…"

"Says who?"

"Uh…I'm sorry Mr. Volpe…."

"Darien!"

"Sorry Mr.… uh Darien…" Darien laughed helplessly. Gus Costae, this burly giant, was nothing short of a push over.

"You don't have to be sorry for your opinion, Gus, I like people with opinions, although if you've got coffee I'll love you!"

"Uh, not that I'm not flattered sir, but I'm married…"Gus joked. Darien roaring laughter interrupted him.

"How does a Raise sound?"

"There's coffee in the limo sir…"

"Darien!"

"Sorry si…Darien"

"Si-Darien? Interesting name…" Darien laughed, as he slid into the Limo. Gus closed the door, and headed for the drivers side. "Did you call Ami?"

"Yes sir, I told her that you'd be there in about 20 minutes."

"Damn it I'm late" he growled.

"No sir, I told her you'd be there in 20 minutes your time." Darien laughed again, his mood already improving. But then it always improved when he was anywhere near his beloved company. Linx-Corp was Darien's baby; he had founded it 10 years ago, when he was only 22. Since then Linx-Corp had made a fortune, and Darien Rich. Linx-Corp's strategy had been very simple from the start, to buy out companies that had huge profit possibilities, but for some reason were not doing well. Darien would buy out the company, then send his 'Team' to assess why it was not doing well, then after making the necessary changes, Darien placed one of his own men in charge. The Limo pulled up in front of a fancy office building. Linx-Corp headquarters. Gus stopped the car, and young man from the front of the building rushed out to open Darien's door.

"Here you go sir, what time would you like me to pick you up?"

"I'll call you"

"Yes sir…"

"Darien!"

"Sorry sir…"

"Darien!"

"Sorry Si…"

"Darien!!"

"I'm sorry sir…"

"Darien!"

"Sorry…uh Darien, it's force of habit you see…"

"Yes well force that habit out of your head, or I'll do it for you!"

"Sorry…."

"Darien!"

"I didn't say sir…"

"Sorry force of habit…" The two men laughed. 

"Good day…"

"Say sir and die…"

"Mr. Volpe…" Darien laughed heartily.

"Good bye Gus" 

He walked out of the car, and towards his building, following the young doormen. The man held the door open for Darien.

"Good morning Sir"

"Good morning indeed…" Darien sighed, remembering the meeting that Ami had probably delayed. Darien walked into his building, and walked into the elevator. He pressed the button for the 15th floor. The elevator stopped on the 3 floor and 2 men walked in.

"So I say, if this Mr. Volpe is so damned good looking why would he spent a second on you bitch?" One of the men said. His pug face broke into a snide smile.

"Yah? What did she say?" The other man asked, his rat like face screwed up in a concern.

"She said that Mr. Volpe was twice the man I was, and that if he'd ever seen her he'd throw himself at her!" He barked. Darien bit his lip down hard to stop himself from laughing.

"Only because he's really ugly!" the second man said.

"You think so Ron?" 

"Yes I do, I've seen him Kirk, he got them shifty in sunk eyes, and that batty kinda touched- in-the head look about him!" 

" I most certainly do not!" Darien cried out, in fake outrage.

"And I suppose you think your Volpe?" The pug faced man, known as Kirk asked.

"Nope, I know I am… that's what it says on my birth certificate"

"Look buster I don't wants your problem, but I've seen Volpe, and you are not him!" The other man said. Just then the Elevator door opened, and a tiny brunette walked in.

"Good morning Mr. Volpe"

"Good morning Jamie" Darien smiled.

"W…what d…did you call him Jamie?"

"Mr. Volpe, Ron, why do you ask?

"N…no r…reason…" the Elevator door opened, and Jamie walked out.

"Are you guys ok? You look kind of pale… like you just insulted your boss…" Darien let his sentence trail off. He smiled at them.

"S...sorry Mr. Volpe…" Kirk muttered.

"Please don't fire us…" Ron began.

"No worries there guys" he smiled tersely at them, "I got to go," The elevator stopped on the 15th floor and door opened. "By the way, what are your names?"

"R…Ron Frenkie"

"K…Kirk Gordon…"

"Nice to meet you gentle men…" he grinned broadly, then walked out of the elevator. He walked down the broad hallway lined with offices. Until he turned the corner to his Office, in front of his office sitting in a desk was a petite blue-black haired woman.

"Good morning Ami."

"Good morning Mr. Volpe…"

"Darien! Do I have any messages?"

"Yes sir, you've got 8, one from your sister, who wants to know what your doing this after noon, one from Ms. Frederica who also wants to know what your doing this afternoon, one from a Mr. Lyle Dorf…"

"Dorf? I don't know any Dorf."

"He claims to be your Ex-wife's Lawyer."

"What does he want?" Darien asked suddenly very annoyed.

"He said he has to talk to you about a matter of great importance…"

"I'll bet…you said 8 that was only 3…"

"Yes, the others where from various papers, the Chicago tribune, and the New York times called at least 6 times each, but only left 2 messages a piece, and the national enquirer called as well."

"Why?"

"You haven't read the news papers have you?"

"No I haven't, what's happened?"

"Well, the company's net worth just crossed the 30 billion dollar mark, and you personally have crossed the 1 billion dollar mark…"

"You're joking!"

"No I'm not, here read for your self," she said as she handed him a New York Times. He grabbed the paper for her hands, and rummaged through the paper, on page 1 of the financial section, Ami's words were confirmed.

"Excellent!" he smiled, and handed Ami the paper. "What do the papers want from me?"

"Interviews…"

"I'm doing one next month for ABC, an exclusive one, tell the news papers that I can't possibly do an interview."

"Yes sir"

"What do I have scheduled for today?"

"You had a meeting with the team 30 minutes ago, but I rescheduled it, for 15 minutes from now, you have another meeting with the company lawyer about a resent investment, and you have a few contracts and things to sign…"

"Is that all?"

"Yes sir"

"Darien"

"Sorry Darien" She smiled at him, Ami had been working for Darien for over 2 years now, she was working to pay her way through university, she was training to become a business woman. In Darien's opinion she didn't need university, she already knew everything there was to know, and the day she got her degree, Darien would hire her on the spot. This was Ami's last year as his Secretary; she was finished University this year. Ami was a year younger than Darien's own sister, and he saw Ami as one.

"Did you do something new to your hair Ami?" The blue haired woman nodded.

"This wouldn't be to attract the eye of a certain member of the 'team' would it?" he teased. Ami snorted with laughter.

"Please, none of them know I'm a woman!"

"How could they not? Besides I'm pretty sure Zoey notices you're a woman." He half teased.

"Yah sure, is this in between affairs, or during affairs?" she laughed.

"Now, come on, Zoey maybe the biggest player in the world, and you could do so very much better than him, but he does notice you…"

"He would nail anything that moves!"

"No he would not, he's never tried to nail me, and I move!" Darien said in fake outrage.

"Ok, let me rephrase that, he would nail anything female that moves!" Darien burst out laughing, he could never understand how 2 people who liked each other as much as Ami and Zoey did, could hate each other almost as bad.

"Ami, could you get Rei and my lawyer on the phone."

"Yes sir" he smiled, and took the small pink message sheets off of her desk. "Keep dressing like that, and he might try to nail you honey" he said over his shoulder as he walked to his door, he got a glimpse of Ami's bright pink blush before he closed the door. He looked around his office, the spacious office had burgundy carpets, wood panel walls, a huge wooden desk on one end, behind which was a big leather chair, in front of the desk was another leather chair, back against the wall was a big leather couch, in front of the couch was a glass coffee table, to right and left of the couch were big puffy leather loungers. Just behind the left lounger was a small fridge, which served as a mini bar; however calling it so was almost laughable, because there was nothing harder than soft drinks in there. Darien despised alcohol and he rarely drank.

He walked over to his desk, and sat down in his comfy leather chair. His intercom beeped, he reached over and pressed a button on his phone.

"Yes Ami?"

"You have Green on line one, and your sister wasn't in, I left a message"

"Thank you Ami"

"No problem sir" He pressed the intercom button again. Then picked up the phone, and pressed the first flashing red button.

"Green, this is Darien, I need you to do something for me"

"Good morning Darien, what would you like me to do?" a pleasant male voice that belonged to Richard Green, Darien's lawyer, asked.

"I need you to get in contact with Lyle Dorf, he claims to be my ex-wife's lawyer, find out what the hell he wants."

"I'm sorry Darien, but did you say Lyle Dorf?"

"Yes I did, why?"

"Uh, Lyle Dorf is a D.A…"

"What!?!" Darien half yelled.

"A district…"

"Oh for gods sakes I know what a D.A is, but why would a D.A be representing my Ex-wife?"

"Well maybe she's gotten herself in some kind of trouble, or maybe she's just got no money…"

"What ever the case, find out what Dorf wants alright?"

"Yes sir" 

"Call me as soon as you find out, if I'm in a meeting have Ami pull me out, is that clear?"

"Yes sir"

"Alright then, bye" with that Darien hung up. His head suddenly throbbing, what was Valessa doing with a D.A? The Prieceys were rich, surely they wouldn't let one of their own be represented by a D.A… maybe this was a ploy for attention? Darien stared at his mini-bar for a moment, and then grinned despite himself.

"Oh yah, I'm going to get drunk on Ice tea!" he laughed. He got up and walked over to it, he opened the black fridge, and pulled out an ice tea, his favorite drink.

He took a long soothing drink from the bottle, and stared around his office again, the huge window to the right of his office, looked very appealing suddenly, he turned to it and pulled aside the drapes. The flooding golden light gave the room a soft earthy quality. He took another swig of his drink, allowing his mind to wander. 

A sudden beeping caught his attention. He walked over to his desk and pressed the intercom button.

"Yes?"

"Sir, everyone's in the conference room like you asked, they're waiting for you"

"Thank you Ami" he let go of the button and grinned. The team was waiting for him. The team was a group of 4 highly trained men, each one had his own area of expertise, and each man worked in their respective fields, but they also functioned as a unit. This group of men was Darien advantage.  They were whom he sent in after he had bought out a company, their job was to figure out what was wrong with the company, and based on that make suggestions to Darien. Besides this, they were Darien most trusted advisors. Very rarely did Darien ever go against their suggestions. It had been 3 long boring weeks since he had last seen them. He walked over to the sliding door with the company emblem, to the left of his desk. He slid it open and walked into the conference room.

A large oval shaped Table was in the center of the room, around which were a dozen or so large leather chairs like the ones in Darien's office. A huge window that took up an entire wall was behind the table. The walls were all wood panel, and they all had computers built into them. Next to the sliding door was a mini-bar that was built into the corner. On top of the cabinet like storage were glasses of all shapes and sizes. The cabinet doors were made from oak, and the handles where silver, inside the cabinet was a small fridge. The Whole cabinet was about 4 feet tall and about 3 and half feet wide. And just to the far left of the table was the other door, the only other exit out of the room; it too was a sliding door.

Sitting in the chairs around the table, were the 4 men that Darien knew so well. Darien sat down at the head of the table, as he always did. To his right was a tall blonde man, Jaden Connor; this man was responsible for personal. To his left was a platinum blonde man, Malcolm Miller; the team's Financial genius. Down the table, next to Malcolm was brunette man, Nathan Summer; the product specialist. And finally sitting next to Jaden was another blonde man, Jaden's brother Zoey Connor. He was the youngest member of the team, and he was responsible for ideas and technology. He was also the man that found the companies for which they took over.

"Morning guys" he said with a grin.

"Morning Dar" Malcolm replied.

"Morning boss" Nathan responded.

"Morning Mr. Volpe" Zoey said pleasantly.

"Zoey, just cause you work for me doesn't mean I can't hurt you!"

"If you hit me I'll have to sue you for assault"

"Yah and who pays your legal bills?" Darien asked in sarcastic curiosity.

"Me of course" Zoey replied.

"Ok, fair enough, but who signs your pay checks?"

"I don't know… Ami?" Zoey asked innocently. Darien and the other men except Jaden laughed.

"Jay you ok?" Darien asked his brother-in-law curiously.

"Ok? Sure, I just need a break, so I can go pray for death!" 

"Kasumi keeping you up?" Malcolm asked.

"Isn't she like 2?" Nathan questioned.

"3, and yes, she has chicken pox you see, and Rei's never had it, so she's in a hotel, while I get to take care of a screaming, itchy, cranky 3 year old." He smiled weakly.

"Oh that's right Rei's never had it, I almost forgot about that," Darien said.

"Dude haven't you had Chicken pox?" Zoey piped in.

"Yah, when I was 3 or 4, a good 6 or 7 years before Rei was born."

"Man you make me sound like such a cradle robber," Jaden laughed.

"Well you are! Rei's what 10 years younger than you?" Nathan asked.

"No she's only 8 years younger than me!" Jaden stated in sham rage.

"Yah that makes her what? 23?" Malcolm asked.

"Yah," Jaden replied.

"You should be ashamed of your self Jay, I mean god she's closer to Zoey's age than yours, 31 to 26!" Malcolm said in a joking tone.

"Well I don't care what you say I'm keeping her!" Jaden pounded his fist down in fake fury.

"Your only 26?" Nathan said, looking over at Zoey.

"Yup, actually as of next week I'll be 27!" he grinned.

"I think you should kick him out Darien, we can't have kids in these meetings you know!" Nathan said in phony disgust.

"Your not all that much older Nathan, your only 29" Malcolm stated.

"Yah well your not all that much older either, Malcolm"

"I out age you all, I'm 32!" Malcolm stated in false pride.

"Nope, that crown belongs to Darien, he's 33!" Jaden interrupted.

"Actually, I'm 32, but I turn 33 in 2 months" Darien corrected.

"How about you Malcolm?" Nathan asked.

"I turn 33 in 6 months, so I guess Darien won…" He smiled innocently.

"Say it and die Zoey!" Darien stated looking straight at Malcolm.

"Oh no his eye sight is going!" Zoey said in phony fear.

"Say what?" Darien Hollered. Everyone started laughing.

"So Jay, who takes care of Kasumi, when you're at work?" Darien asked curiously.

"Nanny slash babysitter person, her name is Jenna, don't tell Rei, she doesn't like Jenna."

"Now that was smart of you, telling her brother…" Zoey smirked.

"My brain stopped working at the moment of conception…"

"Your or the baby's?" Darien asked innocently.

"Ha-ha, you are so damned funny" Jaden said dryly. "I swear to god, if Rei gets pregnant again I'll kill myself!" 

"Sure you will," Darien said patronizingly "So why doesn't Rei like your babysitter?"

"She says Jenna's a slut," Jaden stated 

"She thinks a 12 year old is a slut?" Nathan asked.

"She's not 12, twelve year olds go to school in the day, oh brilliant one!" Jaden snapped.

"How old is she?" Zoey asked.

"Um…26…"

"And she's a baby sitter?" Zoey asked incredulously.

"No, she's like a nanny type person, she works at Ka-Rei's daycare center" he smiled " I lured her away"

"You lured her away? What's the matter wouldn't the little kids come with you?"  Zoey joked.

"So says the guy who dating an 18 year old!" Jaden said.

"First of all she's 19! And that was how old Rei was when you married her!"  Zoey retorted.

"He's got you there" Darien smiled.

"Maybe the fact that you can lore her makes Rei, think she's a slut…" Malcolm offered.

"I lured her with money you dirty sick old man!" Jaden defended.

"Oh yes that makes her less of a slut…" Darien cut in.

"Money to baby sit Kasumi, since we can't send her to a day care, she'd infect the whole group." He said simply.

"And I'll bet she hits on you," Zoey stated.

"I wouldn't know I don't pay attention," Jaden snapped.

"Cause you only have eyes for Rei right?" Zoey said sarcastically.

"He better have, unless you enjoy pain," Darien said in a sham deadpan serious voice.

"You'd have to wait in line, Rei would kill me first" Jaden grinned " the day before we got married she said 'Jaden I love you and everything, but if you cheat on me, I'll cut you up and feed you to the dogs!' I didn't know what to say to that" he smiled.

"Sure you did, you asked her why you would go out for burgers when you had steak at home, I remember cause I heard you" Zoey grinned. Suddenly a cell phone went off. Everyone at the table reached for their own.

"It's mine" Jaden stated as he flipped it open. "Hello Jaden Connor, how can I help you?"

"Rei?" His eyes widened for a minute, his face broke into a grimace, and it was plain to everyone at the table that Jaden Connor was very much in love with his wife.

"And what did he say?" his voice echoed worry.

"No way!" He suddenly smiled, "Honey that's great, yes Darien's here"

"Yes I'll tell him" his smile broadened.

"Hitomi? Whatever you want baby, I'm kind of in the middle of a meeting, can I call you later?" He grinned, "Bye baby, love you" He closed his phone, and looked up to see everyone staring at him.

"So I guess I'll be looking for the nearest bridge" He smiled "Rei's pregnant, it's a girl, she likes the name Hitomi," he smiled broader.

"Congrats, I didn't realize you could get someone who can't come near you pregnant" Zoey joked.

"She's 2 months pregnant, genius, but this sucks, I can't go see her, I could give her chicken pox…" he grimaced.

"I'll go see her," Darien offered. " I haven't seen her for so long, I miss her" he grinned.

"Yah about that, she said to get off your ass and call her, she wanted to go out with you, and she said she wasn't going to tell me until after Kasumi got better, but she needed to tell someone, and she tried calling you" he smiled 

"What hotel is she in?" He asked.

"Chateau Meridian" Jaden said simply.

"I'll give her a call"

"She'll be at Ka-Rei's until 6:30ish." Jaden and Darien both grinned at that. 

"Are we going to get to work or what?" Nathan asked suddenly.

"Nathan wants to get to work?" Malcolm asked, "Must be the end of the world" 

Darien grinned

"Alright then, lets begin, what do you have for me Zoey?"

 30 minutes later, and in the middle of Malcolm's report; there was a knock on the door.

"Come on in" Darien called out. Darien's Petite Secretary walked. Her fitted suit, showing every perfect curve. Zoey looked up and stared at the woman. Her perfection annoyed him for some reason. He looked her up and down admiring every line of her suit; he looked up at her face, and saw that she was looking at him. Her blue eyes, flashed in rage, her jaw clenched. He dragged his eyes away from her, and back up to Darien.

"Yes Ami?" Darien asked, fighting to keep the amusement out of his voice.

"You have a call from your lawyer, he insisted that I interrupt you, he said you told him to do so"

"That I did, tell him to hold on" 

"Yes sir" and with that she slid the door open and walked out.

"Is there anything else?" when they all shook their heads no, Darien continued "Alright then, Malcolm, hand that report in to Ami, and set up a private meeting, I really need to take this call, so I'll see you guys next week then?"  He nodded to them, then got up and walked out through the door behind him.

He walked over to his desk, and looked down at the phone. His line one was flashing. Picking up the phone, he pressed the button.

"What's going on Green?" he asked tersely.

"Your wife's dead," Green began.

"That's nice, why should I care?" He asked coldly.

"She had a child…"

"Yet again, so?"

"Darien, her will states that you're the child's guardian, what's more, the will claims you're the father…"

"That's not possible" Darien said simply.

"Why not?"

"Because she was sleeping with my father"

"And you, you were married…"

"Yes but she said that he was the father!"

"Darien, the kid has your last name…"

"So does my father"

"Yes, but she has your blood type…"

"So?"

"So, your ex-wife was type O, what type was your father?

"Type B"

"The child has Type AB"

"T…that's not possible…"

"Why not…"

"Because no one in her family has type AB, I'm one of the only people she knew who had type AB the only other person I know who has type AB is my sister…"

"Darien, that mean…"

"No it doesn't, she was a slut anyone with type AB could be the kid's father"

"Lyle agrees, he wants you to take a paternity test they already have the child's and your ex-wife's DNA on record, they just need yours."

"I took a blood test last week, they have my consent to use it"

"Ok"

"How did Dorf get involved?" Darien asked.

"Oh, her Car over turned and she was burnt to a crisp, so the police were trying to figure out who she was, when they did, they contacted her family, they said they didn't want anything to do with her. And since she didn't have an attorney, she was appointed one, namely Dorf."

"I see, what about the kid?"

"Before Priecey died, she stopped at a drop in center and left the child there, she was in child services for a day before they figured out who your ex-wife was, and then a week before they figured out who she was"

"Damn, poor kid" Darien said despite himself.

"Yah, well as soon as we can establish that you're not the father, the better it is for the kid," Green assured him, apparently seeing Darien falter.

"If you say so, either way I have to go."

"I'll call you as soon as we find out"

"Right" Darien hung up the phone, and stared out into space. He suddenly wished he hadn't filled his mini-bar with soft drinks. There was always the conference room he reminded himself. He grimaced at the thought. Getting drunk never solved anything, and he knew it, from personal experience. He reached down and pressed the intercom button.

"Ami, cancel all my meetings" 

"Uh…yes sir, what should I say?"

"Tell them that if they like their Jobs they can mind their own goddamn business" he said brutally.

"Y…yes sir… are you ok?" Ami's concerned voice touched him.

"I'm fine, can you please get Rei on the phone? She's staying at Chateau meridian"

"Yes sir" 

"Thank you Ami" with that he pressed the intercom button again. And stared off into space, this was going to be a long day.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU'RE BUSY?"  Rei howled at him.

"I'm busy Hun, can I see you tomorrow?" he stated more than he asked, his no-nonsense business tone, more annoyed her than intimidated her.

"Darien I'm pregnant, I'm lonely and I want to hurt you! This can't be a good combination for the baby!" she stated.

"I'll come see you soon I promise!" he said earnestly.

"Why not now… what's wrong Darien?" she asked gently.

"Something came up…"

"Or you're hiding something from me!"

"I'm not hiding anything…"

"Yes you are, Darien what's going on…." Suddenly he the phone fell with a loud thud, and he heard a soft pained groan.

"REI!" he yelled as fear gripped his chest.

"Yah I'm still here" Her voice sounded odd, as if she was crying.

"Rei, what's going on?" 

"Like I'm going to tell you"

"Rei…"

"If you tell I will" she said playfully even though her voice sounded pained.

"Fine" And with that Darien started telling her the story.

"Shit…"

"My sentiments exactly, now your turn"

"Uh…I've been spotting, that's how I didn't realize I was pregnant, I just thought that maybe my periods were light, then it started happening irregularly, so I went to see the doc, he said I was pregnant, but I might miscarry…" He heard her sniff before she continued, "Don't tell Jay, he has enough to deal with"

"Honey your going to have to tell him you know…"

"I know, just not yet"

"Alright well, I'm coming over, and we can order nasty ice cream with pickles or something" he said, trying to keep the concern out of his voice.

"It's ok if you want to stay in your office and wait…"

"Are you at work?"

"No…"

"Liar, Ami said that the hotel people re-directed her to Ka-Rei"

"Fine, but just cause…."

"Please Rei, take care of your self, take it easy, you'd never be able to forgive yourself if you lost that baby, you know that," 

"I know, that's why this is my last day here, I'm staying home for the rest of my pregnancy" 

"How are you going to explain that to Jay?"

"I'll tell him I'm getting to obsessive!"

"Your about 2 years to late" he laughed. "I'll pick you up in a hour got it?"

"Yes sir, but I got to go, so I'll call you in a bit?"

"Yup, bye Sissy"

"I hate when you call me that"

"I've called you that since you were born you don't get a choice."

"Damn it all. Bye" she hung up and Darien placed the phone back in its cradle. He looked around his office; he had a good 45 minutes to kill. He looked down at his desk and saw the picture of Rei at her wedding. He remembered it very well; he had given her away, seeing as how their father hadn't been invited. Rei had wanted him to be involved with everything. She had dragged him into every bridal shop in Texas before he gave up on finding one she liked, he'd handed her paper and a pencil and told her to design her own gown. And she had, the gown had been an ivory concoction, which was sleeveless, and bathe in lace. A soft lilac pattern had been sown on to the bodice of the gown. It had been one of the only times in Darien's life where he had nearly cried. 

Rei's gown was only the beginning of Rei's talent. She later decided to Switch universities, and become a designer. Darien and Jaden later bought her, her very own studio. And her brilliant designs led to a deal with a failing clothing store, she became their exclusive designer, and with a little help from Darien, Rei's clothing line went off with a bang. The store later renamed to Ka-Rei, which was Rei's label. For her 21st birthday, Darien bought out Ka-Rei, and gave it to her. Of course Rei hadn't know it was a present. Darien had told her, that Ka-Rei had huge possibilities, just horrible management, which was true, but the only reason he had gone after it with such zealous disregard for price, and ethics was for Rei. And he placed her as president, because she was a very talented Designer and business minded woman. Which was true as well, but was not the reason.

As well as being the president of the company, Rei designed and manufactured the clothing. Her ingenious plans and technique for boosting sales had resulted in Ka-Rei being one of Darien's most successful buyouts. However Darien's company did not get any of the profits, Rei had bought him out. Obviously nowhere near as hostile as the original take over. Ka-Rei and all its other sister stores, were Rei's. 

Darien smiled, as he put down the picture. He looked over at the next one, this one was of him and Rei as children, and this one had been taken 3 days before their mother had died. Or rather been murdered. He placed the picture down and picked up another, this one was of a beautiful woman with a baby in her arms and little boy standing with his arms wrapped around her neck in a hug. Darien's mother, he stared at the picture another moment before putting it down. Then picked up the last one, it was a picture of 2 men and 2 women standing in front of a building. One woman had silky long black hair, and amethyst eyes, the other woman, had shoulder length deep red hair, and bright green eyes. Valessa. He stared at the picture for a moment, the building had been the one he was in now, and this picture had been taken before he and Valessa had married. Valessa had to have been only 20 in this picture, and he had been 25, and his sister was about 15. He wondered why he had kept this picture. Valessa had always treated him like he was second class back then, then she met him again, when his net worth was somewhere around 100 million, and she had 'fallen in love'. He had met Valessa through a friend, at a party. And the woman had been snooty to him the whole night, but he had been taken by her, the way she held her self, the way she talked, everything about her seemed so exotic. 

She hadn't liked him one bit, she had liked Jaden much more, and that was the only reason she had been in this picture. He looked down at the picture again; Jaden was smiling a big broad smile over in Rei's Direction. He looked more closely at the picture, and laughed because Rei had been blushing something fierce. Then he remembered something. The day they had seen this building Darien had made them stop, and had pronounced that he would one day own this building. Everyone except Rei had laughed. That was why he kept this picture. He looked down at Valessa.

"I told you so," he whispered. Then placed the picture down on his desk.

He looked down at his watch, and swore, it had already been hour. He reached over and grabbed his phone, and called Gus.

"I should have known you meant D.V time." She grinned as he rushed into her office.

"D.V time?" He asked curiously.

"Darien Volpe time." She grinned, and got up from her seat. "How did you get Maggie to let you in?" she asked.

"She's a 32 year old woman how do you think?" he asked loudly, so that Maggie Gretchen, Rei's 52-year-old secretary could hear.

"Oh Darien you're such a tease" Maggie laughed. Her graying black hair was pulled up into a tight French twist, and her thin body was draped in a too-loose-to-look-right pantsuit. Darien winked at the woman.

"Only to you Maggie, when are you going to go out with me?" he joked.

"Oh dear me, I'm much too old for you" Maggie retorted.

"Sure, sure, trying to let me down easy aren't you?" He said in fake hurt voice. Rei and Maggie laughed helplessly.

"Rei, you take it easy now, Janie is very competent so don't you worry."

"Janie? Is she the interim president?" Darien asked.

"Nope, she's Maggie's secretary, Mag-pie is my interim president"

"Oh congrats Mag."

"Yes she is very qualified, more so that any other member on my staff, she's been around for a very long time, and her brilliant Ideas have saved my ass a number of times." 

"I didn't say anything…"

"She can read you very well Darien, don't feel bad, everyone here asked about my qualifications, at least you had the class not to ask it flat out" the woman grinned at him.

"Good luck Mag, if you need any help don't hesitate to ask ok?" Rei said.

"Likewise" Darien added.

"Oh you 2 better get out of here, thanks for the offer, I'll remember" She smiled, and then pushed them both out of the office.

"No need to push Mag, I can walk, I haven't lost the use of my legs just because I'm pregnant you know."

"Well you did the last time you were" Rei blushed.

"Well it was a crucial time last time I was pregnant, I had to work over time…"

"Yes it was, but you worked over time because you didn't were afraid of Jay…"

"We better go bye Maggie, love you, take care" And with that she grabbed her brother's hand and half dragged him out of the office.

"Afraid of Jay?" Darien asked.

"Drop it Darien I don't want to talk about that," Her voice sounded odd, "please" she added desperately.

"Fine"

3 hours, 4 boxes of pizza, 2 servings of Chinese food, and a pale of ice cream later, Darien and his sister where very full and fast asleep on the couch. A sudden loud ringing awoke Darien. He opened his eyes and stretched lazily. And the ringing hadn't stopped. He reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out his ringing cell phone. Flipping it open he answered it.

"Yes?" Darien asked groggily.

"Darien? This is Richard Green"

"Yah? What's up?"

"The test was completed an hour ago." Darien was suddenly very awake.

"Yah? What are the results?" He asked with baited breath.

"You're the father…" Darien dropped the phone and stared at it as if it was contaminated, the words ringing in his head.

You're the father……you're the father……you're the father……

_(_A/n: ok I wrote a nice long chappy, so you owe me reviews!)__


	4. Chapter two

Chapter two

She runs as fast as her legs will carry her, tripping over rocks and boulders. Was that there before? Someone calling out her name like a crazy chant, "wake up Serena!" Who said that? "Who are you?" she calls out into the darkness. "I love you Serena, that's why I got to do this…" she feels a cleaver like tool hit her in the ribs as she crashes down into the ground, she looks up just in time to see… Andrew?? Why was there so much pounding in background? "Wake up you stupid brat, don't make me…"

"…brake down this door!" Serena Lane smashed her skull against her headboard. She groaned miserable, as she rolled over, trying desperately to ignore the booming and rather annoying voice of her landlord Joe Mignon. 

"Get up Serena!!! Damn it, if I wasn't already evicting you…" He yelled through the door, obviously desperate. 

"Go away Joe!" Serena finally yelled back. "I don't need to be out of this place till noon, I got lots of time!" 

"Check your watch, sweet cheeks, it's 9:30, and I know for a fact that you haven't even started to pack!" he growled through the door.

"Spying on me again are we? Whether I'm packed or not is none of your damn business, I've got 2 and half hours, so if you don't mind…" 

"Honey why don't you open this door, and maybe we can work out a deal of some kind?" Joe's greasy voice hissed back in what he must have thought was a sexy voice. Serena nearly gagged, for the last few years that she'd lived here the sick old landlord had try every trick in the book to get her into bed. Everything from pretending she hadn't paid the rent, to stealing her mail so she'd have to come to see him. But after 4 years Serena had finally had enough, she had told Joe exactly what he could do with his propositions. Unfortunately she lost her job and Joe still seething from her rejection, had refused to wait an extra week for her pay, he told her quite frankly "pay up or get out". So Serena agreed to leave, that was 2 weeks ago. Serena still had no job, no money and no place to go. She almost laughed at her predicament. 

"Not a chance in hell Joe, so find your self another blonde bimbo to screw this one has eyes!!" she screamed back at him, sounding braver than she really felt. 

"You little bitch! I'm the best thing that could ever happen to you, you best not forget! But go sell your body to some trucker with bad teeth for all I care!!" And with that he retreated, his heavy flatfooted stomping echoing down the hall. She groaned. God she hated this! Hated having no choice, hated having to give up her freedom, her independence. She had one option, one choice, Lita. Lita was her best friend from university, a rich girl who had been handed life on a platter, every opportunity, every privilege, every benefit was hers for the taking, yet she had turned all of it down so that she could make it on her own. And for that reason Serena respected and trusted Lita. But no matter how close they were Serena hated having to depend on anyone, she had learned long ago and from painful experiences, that you couldn't depend on anyone but yourself. However it wasn't as if she had any other choice, she groaned and shoved her head down on her pillow. Maybe this was just a horrible nightmare, maybe if she hoped hard enough… No there was no point to this denial, she groaned and pulled herself off her bed, and started about packing.

                                                           ****

Darien's head pounded from lack of sleep. Every sanctuary of his life was torn down in a matter of a few hours. Well almost every sanctuary, his work was still there, but there was no escaping the horrifying changes to his personal life. He'd accepted custody of the child, and still to this moment he had no idea why. For god sake he didn't even know the blasted child's name. He hadn't had the foresight to ask. A sudden thought occurred to him, what in heavens name was he going to do with her when she got here? He could have kicked himself for not considering that, his home was certainly not made for a child. He looked at his hard wood floors, the pale carpeting in the living room, the beige leather of his couches, and all the breakable thinks around. All he could think was that if there were a prize for the most children unfriendly home on the planet, his would certainly be in running.

"Aw hell it probably win," he growled. But getting angry solved nothing he reminded himself. He reached over to his cell phone and called Ami. 

"Good morning Mr. Volpe's office how may I help you?" Her prim and professional voice startled Darien.

"Zoey been at you again?"

"Mr. Volpe?" she asked

"Darien" he said almost automatically  "yah it's me"

"Good morning, is something up? Today's your day off you know the boys would be really mad if you showed up here" she said smoothly though behind it burned dark rage and Darien was certain the cause was Zoey.

"What did he do?" 

"What did who do?"

"Don't play stupid Ami, you know who I mean, what did he do?" the sternness of his voice told Ami there was no point in pretending she didn't understand, breathing deeply she began.

"We got into another fight" she sighed despite herself.

"Did you now? How'd it start?" 

"He came looking for you, I told him you weren't here, he asked why he wasn't informed, and I said all of the 'team' knew, then he got mad like 'yah all of the team but me', and I said that I'd told all the secretaries, that they where suppose to tell. That's when it started to get real nasty, he said she was kind busy, so I said well what did you want me to do come down to your office to see god only knows what? He said it was none of my business if he decided to scr…screw every secretary in the entire building, so I…I umm… I said including Mrs. Deloris?" Darien couldn't resist the urge to laugh, Mrs. Deloris was a 52 year old secretary, who walked with a cane and an icy demeanor, it was much rumored that the old sod had brow beaten poor Nathan into hiring her. However knowing Nathan that was probably not true, Nathan was notorious for his steely rage, no one short of Darien could make that man do something he didn't want to. 

"Go on" 

"Well he said I'd rather have her than you, and I said 'the feeling is mutual, I'd rather be a lesbian any day of the week that be alone with you for more than five minutes' Then he…then he stormed off" she muttered the last part. Darien knew that was lie, Zoey had done something else, something that probably startled Ami, considering how badly Zoey wanted Ami he had no doubt in his mind that he'd grabbed her, probably lost most of his head before he came back to his senses. And then shoved his foot down his throat. It was almost laughable; they'd been doing this dance for so long now it was like watching a soap opera, well aside from the fact that nothing physical ever happened. Ami and Zoey would get in a fight; Zoey or Ami would let something slip (in this case Zoey's tongue most likely) and then try to cover it up, and in doing so shove his or her foot down their throat. 

"Well you seem awfully mad for someone who just won an argument when their 'worst enemy'" he emphasized the words, hoping to give her a little perspective on the way Zoey saw their relationship.

"Worst enemy?" Her voice had an odd quiver to it.

"Yah, I assumed seeing as how you fight like cats and dogs" He grinned; it was a good thing Ami couldn't see his face; his voice was deadpan serious. 

"Well…maybe…uh…an annoyance but…worst enemy… that's a little two strong" she muttered. Darien decided perhaps he was being a little to mean, so he changed the subject.

"Be that as it may, I need you to do something for me, and if you do there's a huge, and boy do I mean huge raise in store for you!" 

"Ok, what do I need to do?" She seemed happy enough to leave the subject.

"Get me a nanny, I need one today" 

"A nanny? On a Saturday! Darien, it would be hard enough for me to get you a nanny on a working day, but on a Saturday? I Mean it's a big city, and there is a huge demand for them…"

"I'm well aware, I don't care if you find one that works for the sleaziest company on the planet, so long as she herself is competent!"  He growled.

"She?" 

"Or he I really don't care, just find me one Ami, and I swear to you I'll shower you in cash and Zoey's innards if you wanted!"

"Tempting, but I really do like my clothes to much for that" He could tell Ami was smiling, the woman liked a challenge and this was a challenge.

"What time today sir?" 

"Darien! I really don't care Ami but as soon as possible would be nice" he gritted his teeth, he wanted the damn nanny now, and he meant now, he couldn't handle the idea of seeing this child alone, but he had to, and he knew that.

"Alright, may I ask…uh why?" the hesitancy in her voice made Darien answer despite the overwhelming urge to slam the blasted phone.

"My daughter will be living with me," he stated blankly.

"Oh I didn't know you had a daughter," she stated equally impassively.

"Neither did I" regardless of his smooth tone she could hear the ice behind those words; he was angry, no not just angry he was murderous. She decided to drop the subject then and there.

"I'll get back to you as soon as I get my hands on a nanny sir" 

"If you call me sir one more time so help me god Ami…"

"Sorry Darien, should I call you on the cell or your house number?" 

"Either or, really doesn't matter, I'll see you later Ami, thank you" 

"Thank me when I find you one, in this town this isn't going to be easy, Good bye"

"No kidding, bye" he hung up the phone. Suddenly his head was throbbing more than before. 

                                                            ****

Serena surveyed with insurmountable disgust, the small little crawl space she had called her own. It had seemed larger before, maybe because the boxes and furniture hadn't arrived, and when they had she was still too happy to care. God she was such an idiot! At 18 she had run away from her small town life, run away from the horses and the cattle and the ranches, god how she missed Texas now! Missed the scents, the freedom, even if she was living with her conservative mother. Everything was better there, even the men, she smirked at that thought, the men there weren't like the ones here, they where raw and powerful, rough and savage, yet gentle in an odd sort of way. The men here were savage in a ruthless sort of way, there was no ruggedness to them, they where civilized and cold. She laughed at her thoughts, she'd lived her whole life in Red brook just south of Paris, and not once in her entire life had she met a man that interested her in any way, crushes came and went, same with boyfriends that could endure her mother and brothers, but there was never anything deeper than that. She thought it mighty foolish of herself to be comparing men when she'd never really bothered with them. 

All of her clothes were stored in the one dilapidated suitcase she had, all her valuables of any kind were stored in 2 little boxes, and all the pathetic furniture; that being her bed and 2 wing chairs, where being returned to the store she'd bought them from. She half wanted to cry, before her were the fruits of 4 years of hard work, and it was pathetic. She half laughed at herself, what did she expect when she moved here? To be handed life on a platter? If she did she was truly naïve, Boston was a big city, perhaps not as big as New York but it was plenty big, life here was hard, especially for someone as young and gentle as Serena. And the harshness of life here had settled in on her years ago, she remembered with cold deliberation her first night on campus. She shuttered as the memory flooded her.

**Don't fight me baby, you know you can't win…**

"Serena you there?" The deep female voice of her best friend pulled her out of her memories.  It was the answering machine.

"Look I'm not taking no for an answer! There is no way I'm going to let you stay at the Y, when there's plenty of room for you here! Besides I'm roommate less, I can't handle rent alone!! Now get your skinny blond butt over here and I mean that! Ciao Bella" the soft click after the message, assured her it was over. Lita was a bleeding liar, she could afford to keep that apartment all by herself, truth was she kicked her roommate out because she wasn't keeping up with her end of the deal. Lita was a lawyer of all things; she had worked her butt off and even though she was Serena's senior by 4 years, she had always been there for her. They'd met in university; they were both taking Social sciences, Serena for her degree in psychology, and Lita for her masters in law. The two had been assigned together in a group activity, and had become friends almost instantly. 

Serena did not like thinking about university, she had worked so hard, but her scholarship had fallen short, and she had been forced to drop out with only her undergrad. The frustration of that was enough to drive her insane. She had dropped out and taken three jobs in its place in the hopes to make enough money to go back, but fate just wasn't on her side, she lost one job after the other, until finally this job was gone as well. It had been a nice job too, taking care of 3 little kids for 6 hours everyday, Mrs. Ivy Rich was a sweet lady, even if she had more money in her pocket that Serena had in her entire bank account. But then Mr. Rich had to fight for custody and leave things in a mess for her, god she hated her luck. In any case the agency Arianna Ardene, hadn't relocated her yet. She sighed in frustration, it had been 2 weeks since then, and it seemed like all her hope was going down in a swirling vortex of misery. And then the phone rang.

                                                           ****

Darien's head was still pounding, he hated his luck, he hated his fate, god he hated everything right now, the social services people had called and filled him on everything he could want to know about his child. She was a brunette, with bluish gray eyes, she had been brought in with only the clothes on her back, which wasn't much, she had all the vaccinations she needed for her age, when they examined her they had found some 'curious' looking marks on her back, they suggested that she might have been abused. She spoke well enough, but didn't do it often, she was slightly small for her age, a product of improper nutrient they thought. 'Oh and by the way Mr. Volpe, her name's Ayane!' He had never thought that Valessa could be so cruel to her own child, or maybe because it was his too, god only knew what compelled her to beat, starve and god-only-knows-what-else that child. He'd always hated Valessa, but now he hated her with a more burning intensity, it was one thing to hurt a grown man, but to hurt a child… if she burned in hell for the rest of eternity it be to soon! His cell phone rang bringing him out of his train of thought.

"Darien Volpe" he answered

"Darien, it's Ami" 

"You better have some good news for me Ami, I could really use some."

"Well I do, I really, really do; I got you a Nanny! And not just any nanny one from Arianna Ardene!"  

"Arianna Ardene? You know Rei and Jaden might just kill me in my sleep for her…or him" he grinned, Arianna Ardene was one of the top nanny agencies, their nannies were always in demand, namely because their nannies underwent an extensive background search, and testing on their capabilities, anyone with an A.A nanny knew they had the best. "How did you snag this one?" 

 "Simple enough, she's young and was recently fired by Ivy and Greg Rich. Well more precisely Greg Rich, I guess people are just afraid to get in the middle of the Riches' divorce."

"Yes anyone who gives a damn about society wouldn't want to get involved, of course I couldn't careless, if she's an A.A I really don't care if she worked for Satan! Send her over her as soon as you can, I owe you Ami" and with that he hung up. It looked like his luck was letting up. He thought that until his doorbell rang and he went to open it.  

Behind the door was a tall man graying at the temples, his piercing blue eyes were a startling contrast to the tan of the rest of his face. And when he spoke his voice rumbled deeply.

"Mr. Volpe, I'm Lyle Dorf, I was appointed to be your ex-wife's attorney, I figured I'd escort your daughter to you so that you and I could have a chance to speak." Darien looked down at about his knees to spot a little brunette girl hiding there. She was small, barely coming up to Lyle's thigh, her black brown hair rushed down past her small shoulders and on to her waist. And then she looked up at him and Darien knew they'd been wrong, her eyes were not bluish gray but amethyst like Rei's. And then he knew, he knew and nothing short of the heavens falling on his head could make it untrue the child before him was his. Those eyes where a part of his heritage, not his fathers. But there was something else in those eyes, they were strong and intelligent, they held his with cold resignation. She didn't want to be here, but she knew there was no other way, and he could see in those eyes his spirit, he knew she was his down to the way she held herself this child was his. They stayed there looking at each other for a moment, she was taking the features of the man before her, and he was taking in hers. She looked like Rei he decided, her soft face with a few subtle differences, the set of her eyes was one, Rei's was gentle, but hers was strong, she had his nose, and Valessa's mouth. Almost, it was stronger it had an edge to it that almost reminded him of his own mouth, except her lips were fuller. 

"Perhaps I'll come back later to speak to you Mr. Volpe." Lyle said. He had to see it to believe it was true. They had told him Volpe didn't know he had a child but then many men didn't know they had children when it suited them not to remember. He had to see, had to look the man in the eyes and see that he hadn't let this child suffer under the hand of a cruel wench of a mother just to cover his own shame for whatever had happened. But no he had never known, the expression the curiosity in both their eyes was enough to tell anyone that they'd never seen each other before then. 

Darien looked up at Lyle for an instant, and comprehension dawned on him.

"Perhaps, we should speak when my lawyer is present, thank you for escorting my daughter" Lyle simply nodded his head, bend down and picked the tiny child up off her feet and gave her a delicate hug. He'd fallen in love with this child the minute he'd laid eyes on her; he had been the only one who could get any thing out of her. Maybe that's why he needed to look into Volpe's eyes. He didn't know, all he knew was he was fiercely protective of this child. He put her back on the ground, kneeling down he whispered reassuring words she nodded her head slightly. And he grinned at her. Then he stood up. Nodded his head at Darien and walked out the door. 

Darien looked down at the child again, she was something to look at he thought, the word cute didn't fit, she was more than that, she was beautiful the innocence and giddiness that came with cute was not there in her eyes. She was looking at him too, in much the same way he was looking at her. 

"Is this your home sir?" her voice shocked him, it wasn't what he'd expected, it was high pitched like all little girls voices but it was somehow deeper and older. He looked into those eyes that looked as though they belonged to a 30 year old, and had the strangest urge to pick her up and hug the life out of her. But instead he answered her question.

"Yes it is, don't call me sir" 

"What should I call you then?" her tone was another thing that surprised him, it was both polite and authoritative but mostly afraid.

"I'm not sure…my name's Darien, I'm your father though" he was talking more to himself that the child.

"Mother says I'm not allowed to call people by their first names" She stated, the way she said mother burned at his soul, god what had Valessa done to this child?

"Well your not with 'mother' anymore, I suppose you could try calling me dad or something like that" For some reason that became important to him, it became something he needed to hear.

"Daddy?" she whispered the words as if she didn't dare to believe them. He looked her in they eyes.

"If you want" 

"I'm not allowed to call…." She swallowed hard, and looked away and he wondered suddenly what else this child wasn't allowed.

"Look at me" he whispered gently. She looked up at him; her big amethyst eyes shinning with unshed tears. He knelt in front of her and looked her straight in the eye.

"You are allowed to call me Daddy if you want to, you can call me Darien if you want to" he looked at her. Gently he reached out to touch her hair, he saw her flinch away from his touch, and so he dropped his hand. "You don't have to be afraid of me, I'm not going to hurt you, I don't make a habit of hurting little girls one third my size" 

"Your very big!" she stated suddenly. Darien stared at her puzzled.

"Am I?" 

"Bigger than the other fathers, Mother brought home" 

"Others?" he asked gently. Her eyes enlarged in fear.

"I'm not suppose to tell anyone about the others…Mother said so"

"Did she now? And what happens if you do?" 

"I get punished," she whispered

"How?" he pressed.  

"I'm not allowed to tell," she said softly.

"Well if you did tell how would anyone ever find out?" he asked her quietly. She looked him in the eye gauging his trustworthiness.

"Promise you won't tell?" she asked fearfully.

"Promise on my life" He a crazy urge to say "on your mothers life" but that was just cruel.

"The closet, or the belt" she whispered ever so gently. God she was small.

"The closet?" 

"There are spiders in there, and ants, and other creepy crawlies" 

"Well there aren't any creepy crawlies in my apartment, I promise, what about the belt?" 

"The belt…it was big… it hurt," she muttered.

"Oh, I don't like big belts much" he assured her.

"Do you have any pets?" she asked.

"Not here, but out on my ranch I do, horses and things" 

"Horses are nice"

"Yah you ever ridden one?" 

"Once, on Father Rick's ranch" she shuttered with his name

"Didn't like Father Rick?" 

"I'm not allowed to say" 

"You're allowed to say here" 

"Mother will get mad" 

"Mother is dead," he said before he had thought it through. To his imminent surprise she only blinked, he wondered if she knew what it meant.

"When did she die?" The girl looked older than her age, in that moment she looked older than him. 

"Thursday they say, maybe earlier." He said smoothly. The girl bit her lower lip down in an attempt to keep the tears at bay. 

"Sorry" she whispered looking more and more like a woman of 30 that a child of 4. 

"Why? It's not your fault, look at me Ayane," he commanded gently. Her eyes trailed up to his face again. "It wasn't your fault that she got killed"

"I have nowhere else to go, she was bad, and mean, and didn't like me very much, but she was…" and then the tears started. Darien finished the sentence in his mind. Valessa may have been cruel, and evil and all of those things to this child, but she was still all she had, all she knew and most horrifying probably all this child loved. 

"You do have a place to go, you're standing in my house, you're my daughter," He stated finally, swallowing the lump in his throat. He didn't what on earth to do about the tears, the only person he'd ever seen crying that had ever invoked this much feeling was Rei, and even then he hadn't known what to do about it. All of this was too foreign to him. The feeling of protectiveness that was blazing insanely inside him, the anger at his dead wife, and the feeling creeping in, what was that feeling? Before he could broach it any farther the doorbell rang. Both he and his child gazed at the door. He stood up and walked over to open it.

"Hello, I'm Serena Lane, the…umm…" Serena's blue eyes got uncontrollably bigger as she faced Mr. Volpe in the flesh. He was bigger than she expected, and darker. He didn't look like the businessmen she'd expected, the pictures of him in the newspapers were deceptive; they made him look smaller and more civilized that he actually looked. The truth was that he looked as rugged as any old cowboy, and at least head and shoulders taller than most. She wondered how this man looked so right in a suit, when it seemed to her that he'd look better in jeans and a chambray shirt. As it stood he was wearing designer boot cut jeans and a beige button up shirt that was opened at the top. 

Darien had the strangest urge to smile, he hadn't expected her to get so flustered by just his presence, but he had expected intimidation. The newspapers and magazines liked to make him look smaller and more professional than he really looked. They liked to airbrush the darkness and savageness out of him. They liked to portray him as a good-looking but not all that intimidation man. When the reality was he looked more like a rancher than the billionaire tycoon he really was. 

"From the agency?" he offered. She smiled nervously. And that hit him like a tidal wave. That smile did wonders to her already beautiful face. Those cerulean blue eyes of hers twinkled, and the small silver flecks he'd seen in them before shinned brightly. Her checks had developed a soft glowing blush. He looked down at her body slightly stunned by it's slenderness. She couldn't have been taller than 5'4, barely reaching his color bone. She was wearing a dark pink tank top and faded jeans that hugged her curves a little to well for his comfort. Her brown flat sandals accentuated her tiny feet, he looked at them for a moment, they were nice feet he decided, her toes were so small and with the light dab of pink on them they looked rounded and cute. Her legs were truly the mystery despite her size they were rather long and slender, perhaps not nearly as long as Francesca's but then she was a good 5 inches taller than this tiny woman. 

"Yes, I'm from Arianna Ardene, your, um, secretary sent me here" she was so nervous she was trembling. He could see it too. 

"No need to be nervous Ms. Lane you already have the job, stay in nanny I'm assuming?"

"Ah, yah stay in, um, I'm not use to working for a man" she confided. He assumed that from the rigid stance she had. 

"Well I'm not use to sharing my house with a kid and a lady, so I guess we'll learn together" he said that in an almost gentle tone, one that surprised Serena from all that she'd heard about this man, gentleness in anyway was surprising. 

"I suppose so," she muttered

"Come on in" he stated as he moved to give her entry. When she brushed past him to get inside the room her bare shoulder made contact with his chest for an instant. And even through his shirt he could feel the softness of her flesh, he yearned to touch her to see how soft she really was. He wondered at what she looked like completely bare, did her soft peaches and cream complexion go all the way down? He almost hissed at the disturbing direction his thoughts were taking. What was he doing? Getting turned on by his nanny for god sake? 

Serena about decided she didn't need the job that bad. His presence was too disturbing. He was too big she decided instantly. Too male! But that was ridiculous, obviously he was male, and so he was huge? What in heavens name was the big deal? Well that was simple, him! He flustered her simply by looking at her, but they'd only known each other for a minute, she was being stupid and she knew it. She half wanted to scream but didn't dare. Working for a man in a store with other people was different that living with one and helping raise his kid. God why was she so uncomfortable with the idea? She had two brothers of her own! But then Andrew was no were as intimidating as Darien, and Sammy was 12, she sighed inversely in frustration.  She knew what she was getting herself into when she'd been hired, well almost, she had no idea Darien was so…so…so… oh blast it she couldn't even decide what about him put her so on edge.

But Darien knew, damn he wanted her, and he'd just laid eyes on her, he was going insane. He decided a trip into the city might do him some good. What he needed was a woman, that's why he was reacting so easily to Serena, that was it he told himself. Serena was attractive but in no way unique right? Right? Why didn't he believe himself? 

"D…Darien?" the little voice of Ayane brought him crashing back to earth with a thud. What was he doing thinking about sex when his first concern was his daughter?

"Ms. Lane…" 

"Serena" she interrupted him.

"Pardon?" 

"Serena not Ms. Lane, makes me feel old" She smiled again, causing an uncomfortable reaction in Darien, which he banished ruthlessly. 'Not now' he told himself. 

"Right, Serena this is my daughter Ayane" he stated blankly. Even though to call her such evoked emotions he had never felt before.

"Nice to meet you" Serena said as she knelt down in front of the tiny little girl. "How old are you Ayane?" Serena asked with the same gentle coo she'd used a moment before.

"4" she said softly.

"Really?"

"Yup" 

"Do you live here too Ms. Lane?" 

"I guess I do now, call me Serena, Ms. Lane sounds like I'm a spinster with a smelly old cat on my lap." She smiled easily at the child. For the first time since he'd gotten Ayane he noticed a soft twinkle in her amethyst eyes, he suddenly wondered what her smile looked like. She still looked up at Darien for approval though, and for that innocent almost fearful look in her eyes he could have dragged Valessa out of her grave and killed her again.

"You don't need my permission to call her Serena," he said evenly, even though inside he wanted to break something, probably Valessa's neck, if it wasn't already broken. Ayane simply nodded her head.

"Are you going to leave?" She asked Serena with a shadow of fear in her eyes.

"Leave?" Darien and Serena asked in unison.

"That's what always happened when mother and one of the fathers were together, they left me…" she stopped talking and clammed a hand over her mouth, her eyes widened in fear. "Mother told me never to tell, or Mr. Snappz…" and then the tears came gushing down. She was shaking horribly. Before Darien even had a chance to react, Ayane was in Serena's arms. Serena ran her hand down the little girls back, cooing gentle and reassuring words, telling her that she was safe, that everything was going to be alright. 

Darien watched, his heart feeling like lead, what had happened to this girl? He needed to know, if only to assure her it would never happen again, he was standing there with the oddest desire to wrap both of them up in his arms, because they both looked so fragile. He didn't know what else to do, but stand there and hope Serena would calm her down

"It's ok baby, it's ok, I'm not going to leave I promise" Serena assured the little girl. Ayane sniffed and looked up at Serena, there was something new in those Amethyst eyes that Darien hadn't seen before. It was trust and security. Ayane trusted Serena, that gave him and odd sense of jealousy, but he pushed it from his mind. 

"I've never had a friend before" he heard her say; he hadn't realized the two were still talking; he had been to into his own thoughts. Hearing those words hurt. 

"Well I mean it, I want to be friends with you, sweetie" she told the child, her blue eyes burning with sincerity.

"I want to be friends too…you won't change your mind will you?" Her voice quaked, it killed Darien to look into those eyes and see the pain and hurt, and realize how many times this child had been abandoned. He made a promise then and there; this was the end of that! She was never ever going to be abandoned again, not as long as he was alive! 

"Of course not!" She said as she put her hand to her chest. "I solemnly swear that I Serena Ann Serenity Lane will never change my mind about being friends with you!" The little girl looked satisfied with that. 

"You have a long name." 

"I know, see Ann and Serenity are my grandmothers names." She said with a gentle smile. 

"My name is Ayane Vanessa Dania Priecey Volpe " Darien's jaw all but dropped.

"What did you say your last name was Ayane?" He asked. Again her face contorted in fear. "Don't baby, nothing bad will happen I just want to know what you said"

"Mother told me not to tell anyone, she said they'd call me names," she swallowed hard but continued, "She said it was Priecey - Volpe, she said not to tell people because I was a bas…baste…I don't know how to say it, but that's what she said I was" 

"Darling" Darien whispered as he bent down and pulled the child into his arms, it was the first time he'd ever hugged her. Her little face pressed into his chest, and her black hair draped over the arm he had around her tiny back. At that moment he hated Valessa more than anything else on the planet, the heartless bitch had taken all her hatred for him out on their child. And he knew it; he knew that every bad thing this child had to endure was his fault. He tucked her head under his chin and held her there, he wanted so desperately to take away all the pain this little girl had inside her little body, take it all away, god help him he loved this child something fierce. He knew then what that feeling had been the feeling that had crept in on him from the moment he had laid eyes on her, she was a part of him, and because of that she had been punished. 

Unfortunately he hadn't noticed her stiffen, but he did feel her franticly pushing at his chest. He looked down at her and saw the stark fear in her eyes, he let her go instantly, she staggered back and head straight for Serena, she hid behind her. Serena's big eyes were apologetic. He shrugged his massive shoulders, and stood up and walked away. 

Serena hadn't missed the look in his eyes; it was anger and frustration, though not at her or Ayane, but at something that wasn't quite there. He hadn't meant to scare her, but with his massive size it was no wonder he did. From personal experience Serena knew that Darien hadn't been around this child much, perhaps never. She wondered how long they'd been together. Not long, that much was obvious. But what was really plaguing her was the simple question of wither he wanted Ayane or was this sweet little angel thrust into his arms? Whatever the case it was none of her business and she wouldn't dare ask. But when it came to Darien there seemed to be a lot of things she didn't dare, for instance look at him. God once she started she highly doubted she'd be able to stop, he interested her, he was big, but he wasn't klutzy or awkward, no he was graceful, lithe and polished. She found herself wondering what his broad chest looked like without his shirt hiding it. What was she doing? Was she really thinking about a man she had met less then 20 minutes ago? 

"Serena, can I speak to you for a moment?" Darien's deep voice disturbed her thoughts. And set her on edge.

"Ah…yah" was that her voice? So high and nervous, where had that voice come from? She shrugged it away; he'd startled her she decided. 

"Yes sir?" 

"Darien" 

"Pardon?" She asked confused, the soft befuddled look she had caused the strangest reaction in him. For some unfathomable reason he wanted her more. He gritted his teeth, this was going to be interesting if not nerve-racking.

"Call me Darien," He said simply, because he wanted her to talk. He liked the way her eyes lighted up when she spoke, the sweet melodious tune her voice seemed to project, the way her mouth changed shape so delicately, and the soft drawl her voice carried. He was wondering about that drawl, it didn't sound thick, it was probably starting to fade from years here, and he wondered how long she had been in this city, he wondered at where she was from. But mostly he wondered why he even cared. 

"Oh, all right, Darien" He liked how she said it, he was wondering if it would sound the same if he were over her making love to her. He reigned in hard on his thoughts. He told himself firmly that nothing, and he meant nothing was going to happen between him and his nanny!  She was his nanny! His nanny! His nanny! His woman… where had that come from? "Where are you from?" he asked abruptly, he wanted to know and besides thinking was causing dangerous things. 

"Texas" she stated blankly, she didn't like standing so close to him, hell she didn't like standing in the same room as him. He terrified her, she had decided that, but why, oh why did he have to be so good-looking? She wanted to howl in frustration, his whole being bothered her, but his devilish face bothered her the most! 

"Where in Texas?" his tone seemed mildly interested, when he was actually just burning with curiosity. And he still didn't know why.

"Red brook it's just south of Paris" she had given him it's general direction out of force of habit, many people who where familiar with Texas weren't often familiar with Red brook.

"You live there long?" 

"All my life up until 4 years ago that is." Her blue eyes seemed lost for a moment; they filled with a soft daze that surprised him. She obviously loved it there. Serena was home sick, but not home sick enough to go back and admit defeat. But right now she was having trouble not wanting to run back to Texas, Darien's gaze petrified her so. 

"It's beautiful down there," he stated but before she had time to ask, he'd started talking again. "Here's my credit card, take Ayane with you and buy her some clothes and furniture, there's about," he stopped to think for a minute "ten thousand, on there"

"Uh…what does she need?" she was a little shocked, no one gave away a 10 thousand dollar credit card to anyone, but then Darien was a billionaire, she supposed 10 thou was nothing to him. 

"Clothes, she has none, and furniture, I hadn't had time to go out and shop, nor did I know what in the hell to get for a little girl, she needs a bed for certain, anything else is your judgment, don't worry about maxing out the card, I got plenty more." He shrugged indifferently. From the look on Serena's face Darien was sure no one had ever given her a credit card and told her not to worry about maxing it out. He almost laughed, money meant nothing to him; he had spent so much of his youth with out it that he'd learned that there were more important things, like family. And this little girl was his family. 

"Alright, where do you want me to take her?" She was sure he was going to say something like 'well Sax obviously.' But instead he said:

"I have no clue, I was so hoping you knew," he smiled despite himself. "Tell you a secret if you promise not to tell" the playful tone to his voice, and the light in his eyes was a startling change to what she had seen earlier.

"All right" she threaded cautiously.

"I hate shopping, especially when it's something as frightening as little girls clothes," he smiled again, it made him look younger and more debonair than he already was. "So I figured I'd let you do it," he grinned roguishly "as they say better you that me" he winked at her. And she was at a loss for words, he was a remarkable man, he had struck her as the steely type, but he'd all but shattered that image. 

"Evil thing" she hissed. At that he laughed, it was deep and earthy, and rumbled, he had a nice laugh she decided, he had a few other nice things she thought, and then nearly kicked herself. Focus! She was howling at herself, god you'd think I'd never seen a man in my life! She wanted to scream again, she sighed maybe later she'd go and howl at the moon or something, umm crawl into bed with her boss! Her eyes widened at the thought! Were had that come from? She had never in her entire life thought something so …so…sexual? Was that the word for it? She was starting to scare herself. 

"That I am, that I am, but I have to go get some things done, so I'll see you and Ayane in a few hours" he sounded comical to himself, his voice was husky just from the way she'd been standing there breathing in breathing out, talking, every little move had turned him on fire. He needed to get some things done all right, like drowning himself perhaps? Or bedding the nanny! Stop that! He yelled at his mind, and he meant it this was getting out of hand!

"Umm…I don't have a key, how am I suppose to get back in the house?" she asked quietly. 

"I'm not going anywhere, so I'll be here when your back, but now that you mention it I better get the key copied, did Ami give you my cell phone number by any chance?" 

"Nope, she gave me your home number though" 

"Well that won't do you any good since I'm never home," with that he strode away towards the living room where Ayane was still sitting, grabbed a pen and moved back to Serena. All the while she was watching the grace behind each lithe move, he was huge but he walked as if his body was one fluid machine. "Stick out your hand" he commanded, which she did without hesitancy. He took it in his bigger one, palm up, he scribbled, light as a feather, his cell phone number.

Her hand tingled from his touch, and she had the strongest urge to hit herself, or pull him towards her and…NO she commanded herself, no more of this, it was getting out of hand. 

"What time should I be back by?" she asked curiously.

Did her voice sound angry? Darien wondered, oh good lord why did he care? He was going senile and old! That was it! Old age was catching up on him! He ground that forcibly into his mind, all the while knowing it was a lie. He was not senile she was just so damn appealing and for some reason his libido was in overdrive. 

"I'm not **your** father you know!" he hadn't meant for it to sound so vindictive, but it had, he was slowly dieing because of the unbelievable torment her tiny body caused him. And that was frustrating the hell out of him, how was she driving him so insane? He forced his mind onto Jaden, the image of his brother-in-law at twenty-one stark nude and half frozen was enough to burn the desire straight out of him. He didn't like remembering where that disturbing image came from, it had been in their 3rd year of university, Jaden had been dating this woman named Felicia, or as they called her 'Frigidicia'. Jaden had made a bet that he could get into her pants in 3 days, of course he had, but when she'd found out it was for a bet, she'd gotten very angry. She'd invited the poor sucker over and all but threw herself at him, she convinced him to play a 'game'. The 'game' required him to stand outside buck-naked in the freezing cold and knock on her balcony door; she had promised him she'd open the door. Which she hadn't, the minute he walked out she slammed the door locked and started yelling at him, and told him to get off her balcony or she'd start screaming. In a girls dormitory that would be dangerous so he left, and **walked** all the way over to Darien's, which was closer than anyone else's place. It had been bout half a mile away. Jaden had been blue when he'd gotten in the house. That winter had been unusually cool for Texas, it had actually snowed quite a bit. Whenever confronted by this memory Darien was always caught between insane hysteria, and nausea. But it always cleared out all the other images in his head, it had never failed him before and he hoped to god it never would. 

"Darien?" she asked gently.

"Hum?" 

"Uh, you phased out there"

"Did I? What were you saying?" His voice sounded deeper, and somehow it bothered her, why did he sound so damn good? She forced herself to think about all the numbers in between 00.002 and 00.003. It sounded so stupid but it always worked, it cleared her thoughts, and forced her mind to focus, she hated numbers, her field was more verbal than anything else. 

"I was saying I know I'm not your responsibility but that Ayane is yours and I don't want to impose my own rules, rules are strictly parental" her voice sounded detached, he thought, she was thinking about something else, or maybe **someone** else. He burned with jealousy, it was irrational he didn't know this woman, why should he care if she had a boyfriend or an affair? Because he wanted one with her that why, he wanted to scream when the realization hit him, he knew he thought she was attractive but sleeping with her how ever tempting it was, was just stupid, he had to live with this woman he reminded himself. 

"Rules…" he grappled at what she had just said. "I really don't know anything about them, I'm probably going to need help in that department" he was talking more to himself that her.

"Their not hard to make, basic things like, bedtimes, and free time schedules, what she's not allowed to touch…" touch that's what he wanted to do, he wanted to touch her, he wanted her to want his touch, to tremble under it… he forced his mind back to what she was saying. " All that kind of stuff, I usually leave that to parents, since each one has a different value system for their child, but whatever you decide I'm going to need to know"

"This sounds complicated, value systems not withstanding I don't like making rules" he had his reason of course. He had practically raised Rei, but he had never needed to give her any rules, she already knew what to do and what not to, but he supposed that Ayane was a little to young.  

"Think of them as ground rules, like when you play a game, she needs to know what's allowed and what's illegal…" why couldn't she stop talking, she asked herself? She had long since detached from her mouth, and memory was taking over. She had given this speech to most of the parents she had worked for. Kids were great, but kids who were spoiled rotten and had no discipline were too much, and she had very politely told them that if their kids acted like rotten brats then she was gone, however she couldn't see herself (control or not) telling Darien that. 

"Uh…Serena are you ok?" his voice broke through the haze and gave her control of her mouth again.

"Yah why wouldn't I be?" 

"Because you just stopped talking" he could barely stifle a grin, he like how she looked all befuddled he decided, she looked so cute all confused. Again he pulled himself in firm, not now! He repeated his command.

"Oh…well I've lost my train of thought anyways" No she hadn't, her train of thought was standing in front of her, wearing designer jeans. She looked at his chest for some unfathomable reason; it was so broad the fabric of his shirt was pulled across it. She looked up at the opened button and wondered what his skin would feel like, she dragged her mind and eyes away from his chest; she had never wondered that before why should she now? She reasoned with her self. 

"Well in any case why don't I give you and Ayane the grand tour of the penthouse?" He'd offered it mainly to get his mind off running his hands down her body, he couldn't understand why he was so attracted to her. She was pretty, and she had a better than average figure, but she was also so innocent looking, and small, he doubt she'd even be able to handle him. His mind wandered down that path for a moment, he imagined her underneath him, writhing in passion; she was so small he doubted if he could pull it off with out hurting her. Stop it! He told himself again, he was about ready to hit himself.

"Ayane" He called, he was surprised his tone was even. The little girl walked over to him, and then past him and put her little hand in Serena's. He scowled for a minute but decided to let it go. He showed them around the 2 story hard wood floored, beige carpeted, little colored and oddly male place he called him own. There were 8 rooms in the place, he used only 4;one was his bedroom, one was his gym, one was his library and the other was a guestroom.  When his little tour ended, the inevitable question was asked. Were would Serena and Ayane be sleeping. He had an answer for Ayane; her room would be the one next to his, as for Serena, the farther away from him she was, the better it was for both of them. But he didn't voice that.

"Where's all your stuff?" he asked her.

"In my car"

"Why don't we get it?" 

"Well I can do it by myself, I really don't need any help"

"Where is your car?" he asked as if he hadn't heard what she'd said, she knew it was useless trying to argue with him.

"Parking lot in the basement" 

"Right, lets go"  

If she wasn't watching it her self Serena wouldn't have believed it, the billionaire tycoon, who was said to have a heart made of stone, was actually carrying her stuff over to the service elevator as if it were nothing. In truth it really wasn't it. There were the 2 small boxes that had all her valuables, and her large decrepit suitcase. He was carrying the suitcase, which was pretty heavy considering the books she'd managed to stuff in there, one armed, and in the other arm was holding the larger of the two boxes. She was carrying the other one. She looked at him as they rid up the service elevator, she hadn't expected this, he was so big, but she hadn't considered the power behind it. Here he was looking as if he could probably carry her too if he really wanted, he probably could she thought. He fascinated her, he was so bleeding rich he could have paid someone to do all the menial labor that he had to come across, but judging by the size of his well used muscles he didn't. His hands were another such indicator, they were hard and callused, and there was no way he'd have gotten those from working out. 

He was looking at her, he'd expected her to be filled to the stockpile with things, but all the things she had, were in his arms, and it didn't feel like much. He had figured that if her own money hadn't been able to buy her expensive things, her boyfriends, and he assumed she'd had many, had. Apparently not, unless the rest was coming later and this was just what she needed for now, but he seriously doubted that. He asked anyways.

"Is this it?" he asked evenly.

"Pardon?" her voice asked puzzled

"Is this it for your stuff?" 

"Yup" she said rather cheerfully.

"I mean is this everything that you have?"

"Yup" she said in almost the same way as before. He thought she was taking her lack of possessions rather well. He'd known some women who would go mad if this was all they had.

"No furniture?" 

"Nope, will that be a problem?"

"No, you can have the guess room" he shrugged indifferently. If she took the guess room it placed Ayane between them, it also meant Ayane and Serena would share a washroom, because it connected the rooms. He wondered at the coincidence of that, and decided to chalk it up to fate. 

She frowned a little as she remembered the room, it was big and had a walk in closet, a queen size bed, a shelf that reached the ceiling and a desk in the far corner opposite the bed that had a flat screen IBM that connected to the net. It also had a Door on the left sidewall that contained the large bathroom, with it's whirlpool tub, and gorgeous white marble floors. She frowned a little more as she realized what that meant.

"What?" he asked suddenly, disturbing her thoughts.

"Nothing…it's just…I don't want to put you out I mean that's your guest room…" Darien looked at her; most people in her place would have accepted something like that without giving a lick of concern to whether or not it was an inconvenience. She struck him as a very odd person indeed.

"It's no big deal, I have tons of rooms in that penthouse incase you hadn't noticed, besides you need to be close to Ayane, and I want her close to me" 

"You know I was wondering something" she had been for so long mainly because she was a security freak.

"What?" 

"Why did the guard behind the counter let me in?" He grinned despite himself that was simple enough, Ami. He had been expecting something a little more…well he really didn't know what he had been expecting.

"My secretary called, told the guard you were coming, the guard has her number on my safe list, so you got let in, same as my daughter, except I made that call." That peaked Serena's ears.

"Now when you say 'same as my daughter' that is to say?"

"That she came here for the first time today morning, yah"

"Oh" the bleakness of that statement hid the curiosity that was burning behind it.

"I didn't know she was mine till about yesterday" he stated simply, he didn't know why he told her, he just did. There was something about her that struck him as different; she had a way with pilfering trust.  

"Oh, you were married to her mother though weren't you?"

"Yes, but she hadn't quite gotten the fidelity part of marriage down."

"Oh, why did you get Ayane?" She knew she shouldn't ask it wasn't any of her business but she genuinely wanted to know. 

"Because her shrew of a mother died," He said it with no remorse.

"How is she taking it?" Serena's voice had changed it sounded concerned, he knew she and Ayane had already bonded; it was a little nerve-racking that this lady took 5 minutes to create a bond that would take months for him.

"Not bad, I was surprised she didn't jump up and down singing 'ding dong the witch is gone'!" the sudden burst of cynicism in his voice was startling.

"Why is that?" she asked, again she had the feeling that her mouth was detached from her brain, because it was yelling at her to shut up.

Darien looked at her for a long moment, deciding whether to tell or not. He figured if she was going to take care of Ayane she might was well know what had happened. He reached over and pressed the emergency stop button. If he was going to tell her he was going to make sure no one else heard.

                                                            ****

A long time after they had gotten out of the elevator, Serena still couldn't get herself to understand. How could a mother any mother, abuse their child the way Darien suspected she had? Serena was filled with cold shock and dark rage at this woman she didn't know. Ayane had grown on her, those little hands that felt to fragile, that long head of hair, it was impossible to understand why anyone would want to inflict any harm on that child. But then Valessa was irrational; she'd cheated on Darien for god sakes…Serena stopped for a moment, had she really thought that? God her brain was turning to mush. 

"Where are we going Serena?" Ayane asked from her seat next to her. Serena smiled, the truth was she had no clue, Darien had told her to go to Ka-Rei's because if she didn't his sister would kill him. That was a start, but where on earth was she supposed to get little girl furniture? Ikea was a good place to begin, but still…she'd figure it out, she had to. Her thoughts went back to Darien, what was he doing? And why oh why did she care?

                                                           ****

Darien was sitting on the carpet of his living room, he didn't want to move, and he didn't know why he just didn't. His mind was a jumble of thoughts; there was Ayane, his daughter, **his** daughter. He repeated it in his head again and again, because though he had accepted it, it was still hard to believe. Then there was Serena, he had such a disturbing reaction to her, what had that been? Lust decidedly, but why was it so damn strong? Probably because he hadn't been with a woman in so long, maybe he shouldn't have blown off Francesca? He laughed at that thought, the woman was about as much fun as a turnip, and had just about as much brains. Then there was Rei's pregnancy, she'd nearly miscarried Kasumi, but this time it was a higher risk, he knew that, and it was worrying him. And then there was the latest project, but that wasn't even part of his list of things to go gray over. Serena was definitely a distraction but that didn't really worry him as much as bother him. His most immediate concern was Ayane, she was scared out of her wits, and she needed love and support, and probably a counselor. He kept reminding himself that she was his primary concern; so then why did images of Serena keep popping into his head? He growled and then gave up, and allowed his mind free reign. Screw it! If he was going to think about Serena instead of his daughter then what was the point of putting up the pretense? It took to much work. 

He sat in that position for at least an hour before he got fed up, and did the only logical thing a man who had no control over his own body did. He went to sleep.

(A/n: Ok first off sooo sorry for not writing sooner, so to make up for it I wrote a lot more than I originally planned to, this entire chap was suppose to be broken up into two, I'll give you a nickel if you can figure out where![jk, I have no money] so please review, please? [oh and check out the rant before you do, it's sorta important, thanks] ^_~)


	5. Chapter three

**Chapter three**

He isn't running, he isn't fighting, he isn't drowning, nothing bad is happening. Darien looks around disturbed because no one with a knife is coming at him. He looks in front of him, and immediately wishes for that attack. She's beautiful, her hair is blonde silk, and her eyes are alive. She moves towards him, standing on her tiptoes she kisses him. The kiss deepens, her clothes are gone next, she's on the floor, he's over her, his body wanting, needing, he wants to be inside her, he's praying for it. She's whispering his name over and over again like a chant… "Darien", "Darien wake…"

"…up!" The harsh shrill of an angry female voices jarred him awake. He groaned mainly because he was enjoying his dream, secondly because the voice belonged to Francesca. Would that woman never leave him alone? He looked down at his legs, and groaned some more. He was so aroused he could barely move. He turned over and decided to go back to sleep, maybe the dream would come back. But Francesca's indignant threats were invading his sleep. Furiously he reached over and picked up the phone.

"What?!" he howled crossly.

"D…Darien…I…" she stammered uselessly all her gusto gone at the sound of his real, harsh voice.  

"It's 3 am in the morning, Francesca, you may not have to work, but I do, so kindly stop pestering me in the dead of night!" He knew he was being callous but he didn't care, he was frustrated, tired and above all else aroused to the point of insanity.

"It's 8:30," she responded angrily, his little rant had awoken the temper in her. "And I do work! I own Frank…"

"You may own it but you don't do a thing for it, you just sit on your pretty butt and do absolutely nothing but party and get drunk" This argument was a welcome distraction, and he intended to use it to the fullest.

"And up until a week ago, you were with me partying or have you forgotten?"

"I slept with you Francesca, that does not give you a deed to my life!" 

"I'm not asking for a damn deed! I'm asking for another night with you!" she roared in frustration. "I…I didn't…mean it…that…" she stammered realizing what she had just said. 

"Excuse me?" 

"I…"

"Are you giving me a booty call?" he growled in dark frustration, he could not believe this, he'd reduced one of the richest and most attractive women in the world to begging for his company, and he was lusting after his damn nanny! 

"I…yes" she said smoothly, trying to grabble with what was left of her torn pride. Darien groaned darkly, he was considering it, why the hell not? It wasn't like he was tied down to anyone; he could sleep with whom ever he so choose right? Then why was he feeling so guilty at even the thought? He gritted his teeth together and answered.

"Not tonight Frankie I have work tomorrow, next Friday, we'll go out to a hotel somewhere…"

"Why not one of our places?" she asked, throwing her pride away.

"Because your neighbors have big mouths, and because my daughter and her nanny live with me" he was angrier now then he had been a moment ago, angry at himself, guilt was seeping through him, he didn't understand it, there should have been no reason to be guilty, he only wanted Serena, and since he couldn't have her…he decided he needed coffee and a long, cold shower in order to think straight. 

"You have a daughter?" her tone was even, but Darien knew she was shocked. Hell everyone would be shocked. Darien Volpe didn't seem like the type of man to ever want to conceive a child, and he didn't seem like the type to make any mistakes.

"Yes, choose a hotel relatively far from here, if it's out side Boston it be better, and Francesca, I do not, want anyone to know about this, do you understand me?"

"Oh yes because I'm going to go tell people I made a booty call, no one will know, and I expect the same discretion with you" 

"You've always had it" and with that he hung up. He sat there furious and angry for a moment, before deciding to take a much-needed shower. His washroom was borderline gorgeous, the soft metal and marble thing, shone superbly. He walked over to his enormous whirlpool tub, and turned on the shower. Leaving it to get cold.

                                                             ****

Serena's whole body ached; she hadn't been able to get any sleep. The bed had a goose down mattress, which felt like sleeping on a cloud. The room was calm and dark, and there wasn't a noise to be heard. But none of it helped, her mind had been tormented with bittersweet dreams about Darien, each one more explicit then the last. The big gorgeous specimen of a man had haunted her, she'd tossed and turned, and fallen out of the bed so many times, that her back felt like it had been beaten in. She supposed she should have just slept through them rather than forced herself awake, but the dreams had been both irresistible, and frightening. She desperately tried to force the memories of those dreams out of her head. She decided a nice shower might just do the trick.

                                                             ****

The frigid water was rippling down his body, working slowly to bring Darien back his control. He was getting accustomed to the cold, and it was relaxing his tense body. The cool water changed quickly to burn him. He yelped in surprise.

" 'Sowwie" The muffled voice of Serena called through the wall. But Darien reacted automatically and turned off the water on his side, earning a sharp yell from Serena. He stared down at his hand. Had he just done that? He grinned despite himself, growing up Rei and him had played this game, if one of them had been washing their hands in the upstairs washroom the other would turn on the faucet in the kitchen. They still played this game. Darien had just reacted, hadn't consider who he was playing the game with. He turned his shower back on with out thinking. Serena yelled again. 

"Sorry" he yelled back, he'd burned her twice and was starting to feel bad when… "Hey!!" she'd turned her shower on and off twice, burning him thrice. 'Oh no you didn't' he thought evilly it was on now!

                                                         ****

Serena was staring at the wall. Shocked beyond believe, she'd burned him by accident, he'd burned her back twice, the first time on purpose the second not, and she'd burned him back twice, on purpose. She couldn't believe she was playing this game again, Sammy and her use to play this, but then when they'd gotten older the two of them had ganged up on Andrew, burning him every opportunity they got.  But it was one thing to burn your brothers, but to burn your boss? She turned on the shower again, and heard him yelp again. But before she could scream out an apology he burned her. She glared at the faucets. 'Of course this means war!' she thought, as she reached over and fiddled with the faucets, being careful not to burn herself. He yelped again, and then he started fiddling with his faucet. She could tell he was no longer turning it off and on, the water always got hotter when you turned it off an on than when you did it with the faucets. They were playing all right, but if it was on, there was no point in scalding each other beyond recognition.

Their game went on for 15 minutes before Serena turned off her shower, ending the game and giving him victory. The score was 30-31 in Darien's favor. She smirked, it had been a fun game, and they'd gotten so many burns in on each other. She rubbed her hand over her shoulders, they were slightly red, but they didn't hurt. She was just fair skinned. She wondered about Darien's damage, and grinned despite herself, the very idea of Darien nude under the water was enough to send chills down her body. She dressed herself quickly and set out to make breakfast. Maybe a little work would sear Darien out of her mind.

                                                               ****

Darien laughed at himself for a moment. He'd just won in the most childish game, that he'd been playing with his daughter's nanny, and he'd had fun, a lot of it actually. It been a while since he'd played any game what so ever. He rubbed a hand over his shoulder, his tan hide most of the red. He looked down at himself, and wanted to scream, he was still aroused. He groaned as he turned the shower on again, maybe another 20 minutes? 

                                                               ****

Serena looked down at her handy work, bacon, eggs, orange juice, and coffee sat out on the kitchen counter. She dusted her hands off on her apron. Her dark denim pants, glinted with flour. The bread she'd decided to make on a wimp was baking silently in the oven. She looked around her at the huge kitchen; it was at least 4 times as big as the kitchen in her apartment, **old **apartment. She corrected herself. 

"What smells so good?" Darien's deep voice asked. She jumped; she'd half forgotten he was still here. She turned to face him.

"Breakfast" she muttered. She looked over him in shock; she recanted her previous thought about him looking more like a cowboy than a businessman. He was wearing a black suit that perfectly fit his frame; he wore a dark blue shirt and a lighter blue tie on the inside, which brought out his powerful blue eyes, his cuff links glinted silver. She was stunned by his perfection. He looked bigger than any businessman she'd ever seen, but his stance was purely commanding. He looked like a million dollars; so different from the casual look he had sported yesterday. For some reason he was more threatening now than he had been yesterday. 

"Umm, what is it?" he was thankful for the cut of his pants just then. Her tiny frame in its red tee shirt and boot cut dark jeans; was destroying his control. He had a dark urge to take her where she stood, to caress her body, to kiss the breath out of her. He ground his teeth together; this was getting out of hand and quick. 

"Bacon, eggs, coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice." She was surprise by how even her voice sounded, because she was going haywire inside. 

"I picked out all that but there's something else…Smells like cinnamon" He didn't give a damn about the food; her body was driving him insane. The food was just a way for him to keep what little control he still had.

"Homemade Cinnamon bread" she grinned, his expression was almost comical as she said it. His eyes light up like a Christmas tree. He suddenly looked like a five-year-old boy who was about to get a huge treat.

"Cinnamon bread?" He asked; he loved cinnamon bread it was his absolute favorite. Growing up his mother had made it on special occasions, but after she'd died no one had ever made it for him. He wouldn't have trusted Rei to do it, she loved the stuff as much as he did, but she couldn't bake to save her life. It was almost hilarious considering she could cook almost anything else as long as it had nothing to do with the oven. She got awfully bored sitting and waiting for something to bake, she'd crank up the heat to make it cook faster, which often caused it to burn.

"Yup, family recipe, do you like cinnamon bread?" His expression was fascinating, the blue eyes that were so intimidating were sparkling, and his mouth was twisted into a huge grin that showed a soft dimple on his right cheek. 

"Are you kidding? I love it! I wouldn't tell Rei you can make it, she'll try to kidnap you," His deep voice sounded oddly amused, because he wasn't kidding.

"I didn't think you'd like it, I don't know a lot of people who aren't southerners that like the stuff." Cinnamon bread was a tradition in Red brook, everybody had his or her own recipe, and it was famous in Red brook but was renowned all over Texas. 

"Well I'm a Texan," he stated. 

"No kidding?" she was surprised, she looked over him again and started to notice little things, he had a tan that didn't look like a bought one, his hands were big, strong, lean and callous, his body was wipe cord lean, the muscles in his shoulders bulged slightly and he had a slightly arrogant set to his jaw and mouth. Oh he looked like a cowboy. 

"What do you think little lady?" He drawled in a deep Texan accent. She was stunned; she'd never noticed it before. She supposed it was because he hid it well, perhaps he'd been here so long he'd lost it in casual conversation, and had to force it out?

"Where from?" 

"Umm Serena, I think the bread's burning" Serena's eyes widened, she half ran to the oven, and opened it, and sighed in relief, it was barely burnt, just a tad over cooked, she pulled it out of the oven. Setting it down on the counter she looked it over, it would need more cinnamon she decided, but it was still good. 

"Sorry" she muttered, "It's a little over cooked but not burned, a little cinnamon should make it ok…I'm such a scatter brain" Darien looked at her, she looked upset, almost close to tears. He wondered why, it was just bread. 

Serena's head filled with her mothers words and she winced. She looked up at him, and realized that he'd been looking at her the whole time.

"Something wrong?" 

"No, I just…well I messed the bread up…sorry"

"No you didn't it still smells great, and besides I don't care if it's burned, you really have no clue how much I love this stuff, I'd eat it burned to hell!" he grinned because it was true.

"Sure you would," she sighed, " Could you pass me the icing? It's in the fridge."

"You made icing? In 30 minutes?" he asked curiously.

"No I made icing last night I figured I'd make cake for Ayane this afternoon, but I decided to make bread instead this morning, and it's been an hour since I started." 

"I have horrible sense of time, when I went to university I wore 4 watches, one on my wrist, one in my pocket, one in my bag and one in my binder, just so I always knew what time it was."

"Really?"

"Oh it was worse when I had to work to support myself and my sister, I was around 16 and I had to know what time it was, Rei had an excellent sense of time so she usually woke me, but I had three alarm clocks incase she didn't" he grinned before he realized what he'd just said. He'd told her about a past most people had no clue about. Serena looked at him delicately, she hadn't known, but his expression warned against asking farther. 

"That terrible? You must be really good at making it up." She pointed out, desperately trying to get the icy expression off his face.

"Yah, the nice thing about having no sense of time is, I work longer than I think I do, everyone always asks me if I'll be there in regular time or D.V time" His expression held a trace of his original warmth.

"D.V time?" 

"Darien Volpe time" he said simply with a grin. It did wonders to his already handsome face she decided, his eyes twinkled, his voice softened, and his mouth lost some of its harshness, revealing startlingly perfect white teeth. 

"Nice" she grinned. Her perfect blonde hair shimmering in the light, it was sunflower blonde with lighter highlights of platinum, it reached down to about her waist, it was tied up in a high pony tail right now, and all Darien could think about was what that blonde hair would feel like in his hands. He gritted his teeth hard.

"Why are you putting icing on it, isn't it traditionally dry?" He asked curiously.

"Yah but because it's over cooked it needs more cinnamon, and it's to dry right now…I'm sorry it's going to be more like a gigantic cinnamon roll"

"Nah, my mom use to make this stuff, she use to give us icing to butter the bread" he smiled.

"My mother use to serve it with vanilla butter"

"Vanilla butter?" He asked curiously.

"Yup, it's a family thing, its pretty much unsalted butter with vanilla extract, and syrup"

"You little hussy you just gave me your family recipe!" he said in mock shock.

"I'm no hussy, I guess I'm going to have to marry you now" she grinned. "Or else I can just push you down the stairs"

"You don't need to give me an 'or else' you know! I like the first choice" he smirked " I get cinnamon bread this way." 

"How do you know I can even cook anything else?"

"I don't! I just want the cinnamon bread!" he laughed heartily. Serena shivered his laugh was the most sensual sound she'd ever heard. And it was doing insane things to her body. She forced herself to back off; she needed to stop thinking about him, lest it show on her face. 

"Why don't you grab a plate and take some eggs and bacon?" She asked. Darien looked at her; she seemed to have withdrawn suddenly. This upset him for some reason; he wanted to drag it out of her. Make her soft eyes shine again, to hear the soft humor behind her voice. 

"Right, can I have some cinnamon bread?" he asked gently, making Serena laugh. Her laugh was like music he decided, delicate and sweet. It was doing things to him that he couldn't believe were possible.

"Of course you can, just let me finish with it first" She smiled. Darien smiled back, and then he reached over her head to the cabinets and grabbed a plate. Serena quivered he was so close she could smell his cologne, it was deep, velvety and very masculine. 

"Thanks for making breakfast, you didn't have to you know" His voice was deep and sincere.

"Oh I know, but I wanted to, cooking relaxes me." She said simply.

"Have you always cooked?" he asked because he wanted to know more about her.

"No, I hated it when I was younger, back in my teens I couldn't have cooked to save my life, I even burned water." 

"That's possible?" he asked incredulously.

"Yup!" she laughed.

"So what changed?"

"Well my mother use to dig into me about cooking, then I moved out and I barely had enough money for rent, much less eating out. So I had to cook for myself. I guess what they say about necessity is true, I remembered all the 'helpful' tips and suggestions my mother use to make about cooking, and I learned to use them, and I picked up a few of my own." She smirked, Darien was surprised by the honesty of her words, most woman simply lied 'oh I've always known how' 'I was thought by a chief'…on and on like that, as if Darien didn't know the truth, their cooks quit it was to late to call a restaurant or caterer so they looked through some recipe book and figured it out after about 4 hours of making messes. 

"That's how I learned too," he said plainly.

"You can cook?" she asked curiously.

"Yup, not as good as you mind," he said as he took a bite of the perfectly cooked bacon. "But I can make anything that has a recipe. But don't go telling anyone that."

"Oh, well you must make your own version of cinnamon bread?" she asked curiously.

"No, I can't make cinnamon bread, it's like a family curse, I can't bake breads and cakes or rolls for that matter, they just don't seem to like me very much, but I make a kick ass bake potato!" he said proudly. She laughed, he was adorable, it was a weird thing to say about him, he was huge, and all muscle, and a little terrifying, but he had a mischievous streak about him.

"But you said your mom can make cinnamon bread?"

"Could, she passed on when I was 16, and she was the only person who could bake in my family." His voice sounded odd, it wasn't just sad but also slightly angry, she decided to leave it alone.

"I'm sorry" she said calmly " If your done with that plate hand it over I'll put it in the dish washer, as soon as I figure out where it is" He laughed softly as he reached past her and opened the dishwasher, briefly bring his arm around her waist. Serena stiffened, and Darien saw something bordering on fear in her eyes. He moved his arm away from her quickly. The look passed instantly.

Serena was a little unnerved, she was really attracted to Darien, but she couldn't forget her prior experience. She shivered as the memory crossed her mind.

**You can scream as much as you want no one will hear you!**

"Serena are you ok?" He hadn't expected that expression. He was stuck between frustrated and confused. He hadn't expected her to want his touch, but he didn't expect her to be terrified by it either. She looked like a scared child, almost like Ayane, except somehow worse. He didn't know whether to pull her into his arms, or scream.

"Huh…yah I'm fine, thanks, I couldn't tell were the blasted thing was, the counter and all the cabinets are metal too so..." she smiled, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. 

"Yah I know, I like metal, it would be in my offices but I like beige and burgundy more."

"I can see the beige, you have excellent style."

"Thanks, but it's not all me, Rei had her hand in this, in any case how about some of that cinnamon bread before I have to go to work?" He grinned wolfishly.

"Sure, grab that saucer." She didn't have to ask twice Darien passed her the saucer almost before she finished the sentence. She sliced the loaf and place 4 slices on the saucer and handed it over to Darien. He literally looked like a child in a candy store. It wasn't completely traditional; the loaf had been sliced down the center and slathered with cinnamon icing. The top of the loaf had been coated in melted sugar and cinnamon. And as Darien took a bite he felt as if his mouth had departed on to heaven.

"How does Tuesday sound to you?" He murmured.

"For what?" She asked confused.

"Our wedding, cause there's no way your going anywhere, not when you can make cinnamon bread like this!" he said in fake sincerity.

"I'm sorry I plan to marry for love" she stated, that comment had put her on edge, the most disturbing image of Darien and herself in a house with 3 children entered her mind. And just a quickly she banished it. He had been joking obviously and besides she didn't want to marry him anyways, she was just attracted to him, she reminded herself.

"Oh but this is love! My mouth might die if you stop making this!" he looked horrified. Serena laughed despite herself.

"You're a kid inside you know that?" she laughed.

"Aw, well at my age it's good to be young at heart." 

"How old are you?"

"Older than you?" he stated with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh come on" she coaxed "I promise I won't make fun of you!" she ran her fingers in an 'x' over her heart.

"Fine, I'm 32." He laughed at the look on her face at his words. " What did you think I was older?" he asked amused.

"No way! I thought you were younger! Maybe your mid 20's, late, max!" she sounded stunned. And she was, she couldn't believe it, her brother was 31 and he looked older than Darien, maybe it was because of the platinum at his temples, he wasn't going gray despite what most people thought, he like, Serena and Sammy all had the legendary highlights of the Lane family. Andrew like Darien didn't have wrinkles, maybe the beginnings of them. But Darien's face was perfect, not one line ran anywhere on his face.

"My family doesn't show age, I've looked like this since I was 18 years old." Which was true, at eighteen Darien was an astounding 6'4, with the same broad shoulders he still had, and a face devoid of wrinkles, and much the same build he had now. 

"Wow…you must have had to beat the girls off you with a stick" she blurted out before thinking. Then she blushed. Darien laughed deeply.

"They swarmed all over me, until they realized I was only 18, I had women in their 30's chase me around, it was strange. But the same thing happened to my sister, she's had the same face since she was 13 years old. By the time she was 15, men in their 20's and 30's were following her around." Darien almost gasped as he realized what he'd just revealed. He'd have probably told her about when he'd been 15 and he'd lost his virginity to a 19-year-old girl who had thought he was 18; had he not come back to his senses. What was he doing telling her these intimate aspects of his life? What was wrong with him? 

"That's what happened to my older sister Hack," She told him.

"Hack?" 

"Ah, her name's Amara Hakura, she goes by Hack." She explained before she continued. " She looked 18 at 14 and she use to do some stupid things, go out and get drunk, and all that, no one ever 'ID'ed her because she looked the age, by the time I was 14 everyone in Red Brook knew Hakura Lane, the only…"

"Person to exceed Jordan 'Shot glass' Peterson in shots." He finished for her.

"You know her?" Serena asked curiously.

"Are you kidding? Who doesn't know about Hack Lane the only pilot to ever beat Seiya 'Speed demon' Kristoff in speed? What did she hit? Mach 3?"

"Almost Mach 4" she supplied.

"She's your sister?" he more stated than asked.

"Yah, half sister to be precise, from my dad's first marriage."

"Really? How many siblings do you have? How old are they?" he asked out of curiosity.

"3, Hack's 33, Andrew's 31, I'm 22, Sammy's 12." She told him matter of factly.

"Your all ten years apart except for Hack and Andrew."

"Yah, dad was in the military, he was gone a lot, and he didn't want my mother to have to keep moving so we stayed in Red Brook, and he traveled all over, he came back every so often, he came in between tours of duty, he usually signed up for 5-10 years, so he didn't see my mother for long periods of time." 

"Why did he do a thing like that?" he knew he should have shut up but he was burning with curiosity.

"He loved Hack's mother, after she died he was kind of gone, he married her sister, that being my mother, because she looked identical to Iris." She stated impassively. 

"That must have been hard to take."

"For my mother yes, because she was in love with him, but not so much for us kids, our father was a very loving and doting man, we were his life. Hack was his favorite though, not because of who her mother was but because she was the only one who took any interest in the military." 

"That's understandable, but it must have been hard knowing he'd rather be with Hack and her mother than you and your mother." He didn't know why he kept pushing, maybe because he was dieing to know.

"Not necessarily, he often told us that he wouldn't change a thing, he said that nothing could have made him happier than us." She smiled sadly at the memory of her father. Darien was oddly jealous; his own father couldn't have cared less what happened to him. But then Darien didn't want his father to care. His eyes flashed dangerously at the memories of his father, no Darien decided, he didn't have a father, what he had was a sperm donor!

"Serena?" a soft voice called. Darien and Serena both turned around and saw a little brunette girl in purple Pajamas that were covered in little lavender monkeys in pink dresses.

"Monkeys?" He asked Serena.

"Why not what's wrong with monkeys?" Serena asked defensively.

"Do you not like it Darien?" The little girl asked fearfully. Darien's eyes flashed, he had another overwhelmingly dark urge to murder Valessa. She was awfully lucky she was already dead, he thought. 

"Nope, they're cute, I just didn't figure you for a lavender monkey wearing girl." He stated playfully. She just blinked, and Darien had a sneaking suspicion that no one had ever tried to make this little girl laugh.

"Well she picked them out herself, and I think their adorable, do you want some breakfast honey?" Serena asked gently.

"Yes thank you." She muttered.

"And after you can have some cinnamon bread, have you ever had that before?" 

"No, mother didn't allow sweats, she said they make you fat…" she slapped her hand to her mouth, and her eyes grew large in fear, this was another one of those things she wasn't allowed to tell.

"There is no way anything can make you fat, darling," Darien informed her, he was getting murderous. "In any case, I have to go to work children, don't wait up, and your key is on my nightstand in my room Serena, my office number is on the speed dial, is there anything either of you need?" 

"I am not a child." Serena said annoyed.

"32 to 22, you are a kid" he winked at her. "So what are you two going to do today out of curiosity?"

"I don't know play?" Serena asked the little girl. 

"But I don't have any toys!" She blurted out as she blushed, but promptly slammed a hand to her mouth, "I wasn't suppose to tell." She muttered terrified.

"Ayane," Darien said slightly annoyed. She looked up in terror as he beckoned her forward. "Oh for god sakes I'm not going to hurt you, come here," She did as she was told rather apprehensively. "What kind of toys to do you want?" He asked her gently.

"It's ok…"

"I'm a very rich man, with way too much money than I know how to spend, so you might as well give me something to spend it on, what do you want?" He interrupted. The little girl look defeated. 

"I use to have a big teddy bear until Father Rick got mad and threw it into the fire place…" she informed him. She trembled as the memory crossed her mind.

"What else?" He asked her, more to get rid of the haunted look in her eyes, than to actually know.

"That's it, mother said it was a waste to give little girls toys because all they ever did was ruin things." She told him matter-of-factly. Darien gritted his feet, he was going to have a chat with the social service workers. And maybe with the Prieceys, someone was going to pay for what this child had gone through.

"Do you like dolls?" He asked tenderly, the little girls eyes wandered up to his face, the look in her eyes was almost painful, she loved them and he could tell, but she'd probably never had a single one.

"Yes…"

"What kind?" 

"Any kind" she told his feet. He smiled, he'd always wanted children but Valessa had ruined his out look on family life. He'd always wanted to spoil them rotten, to give his children everything he'd had to fight for, to allow them to be children for as long as possible. But his daughter had had the childhood he'd never wanted her to have, a childhood he'd never have wished on his worst enemy, but he was going to make it up to her, he was going to spoil this child if it took every dollar in his bank account. 

"Alright then" He smirked. "Serena you can take this afternoon off, Rei wants to meet Ayane, and she's told me in not to kind words that if I mysteriously develop plans she'll throw me of a bridge." He looked over at her and smiled broadly. And Serena felt her heart flutter. Darien didn't know why he'd told her that, maybe because he liked seeing Serena smile.

"Alright, what time should I have Ayane dressed by?" 

"Don't dress her up to much, jeans and a shirt should be fine, and by about 5:30ish, I don't think we'll be back tonight, Rei won't let me leave," He informed her. "Pregnancy does scary things to people." He mumbled to himself. But judging by the grin on Serena's face he knew she'd heard. "Don't tell her I said that. I'd introduce you to Rei but I'm pretty sure she'd drug me to kidnap you!" Serena laughed, but Darien knew that it was true, Jaden and Rei were having problems finding a good nanny, and the temporary babysitters they hired just didn't cut it. And as soon as Rei found out Serena could make Cinnamon bread she'd kill him for her. 

"My cinnamon bread isn't that good, I highly doubt she'd kidnap me." Serena defended.

"Oh really? When Rei was 18 she walked into the back of a restaurant and knocked out the tiny chief, dragged her into her car and made her work for her. She defends that she never kidnapped her, but the old lady quit cooking after she let her go." Darien told her.

"No way, you're making that up." 

"No I'm not, I swear you can even ask Jaden he'll tell you!" 

"You swear your not lying?" Serena asked him sternly. He crossed his heart, and smiled sheepishly. 

"But you didn't hear that from me!"  Serena started to laugh, and Darien about decided that he should just throw himself off a bridge. How could such a simple sound be torturing him so?

"I better call Gus." He said more to himself than her, his voice sounded laughable to himself, it was awkward and a little husky. He reached into his inner coat pocket and dialed Gus's number.

"Hello." Gus's usually booming voice sounded tired.

"Gus where are you? You were supposed to pick me up at 8!" Darien didn't know why he sounded so annoyed, he wasn't, well not at Gus anyways, more at himself.

"It's Sunday sir, Ami told me you had the weekend off, that the 'Team' insisted on it."

"Oh, well I said I'd take yesterday off, but not today, the team is planning something I just know it, and you do too don't you Gus?" he asked slyly.

"Uh…no…" he said awkwardly.

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying…"

"Liars' go to hell Gus, I hope you know that, cause that's were your going, liar!" Darien said in fake sincerity.

"Sir I'm not lying I swear I have no idea what they're planning."

"Ah huh! So they are planning something!" Darien was smiling evilly; bullying Gus into telling him wouldn't be nearly as hard as he'd thought.

"No…I mean I wouldn't know…"

"Yes you would cause your in on it too, aren't you? What is it? Come on man spill it!" 

"There's nothing to spill…"

"Spill it!"

"But…"

"Your lying, why would you lie to me Gus am just not a good boss?" He asked in sham hurt.

"No…"

"Then why?"

"There's nothing to tell…"

"Lies, all lies, that hurts Gus, it really does!" 

"But I'm not lying." He howled in frustration.

"Really?" 

"Yes!"

"Alright, then pick me up in a half hour"

"What? No!"

"Why not?"

"Well because…it's…"

"Because the boys don't want me in…why?"

"No because it's your day off, the boys will be mad…"

"Well I'm the boss," he pointed out.

"Yes but I'd rather not yet my tail kicked by them…"

"As if! Your bigger than all 4 of them combined, come on now Gus don't make me fire you!"

"You wouldn't!"

"So you don't know that!" he growled in fake rage. 

"Alright, alright half an hour it is!" He sighed as he finally gave in.

"Good, and don't you think about telling the boys!" 

"Who me? Never! I'm so insulted that you'd think me so low as to sell out my own boss."

"A little over the top but it'll do" Darien laughed. As he hung up, then dialed his office.

"Darien Volpe's office, Ami speaking." The fake high pitch voice of Zoey answered.

"Your not Ami!" 

"Why yes I am." Zoey squeaked.

"Very funny, give me Ami."

"This is Ami!"  Zoey shrieked indignantly.

"Well if that's true you must remember all those things I told you about Zoey." He said mischievously.

"Why yes of course I do, what things?" He squealed curiously.

"Oh come on now, you must remember, when I told you, you laughed and laughed and laughed, so much you nearly cried…"

"Ok seriously dude what you tell her?" Zoey asked in fear.

"Give me Ami!"

"No, no, seriously you were lying right? I mean you didn't tell her anything right?" he asked worriedly.

"If you don't give her the damn phone, I'll tell her about that time in…" 

"Darien is that you?" Ami's voice suddenly asked. And with that Darien threw back his head and started laughing.

"Yes it's me, what's going on?" 

"Nothing!" she said defensively.

"So do you make it a habit to invite Zoey to your desk?" 

"I…well…"

"Is something going on that I ought to know? Like did Zoey show you how uneven that desk is? Hint, hint, nudge, nudge."

"What? No!! Of course not! He just…well he was just being Zoey…"

"The Zoey I know really likes showing women the slant of a desk…"

"Nothing like that Darien, he just brought some…"

"Bedspreads?"

"No…paper work…"

"Is that what you kids are calling it these days?" 

"Darien!! I wouldn't sleep with Zoey if he were the last man on earth!! Nothing is going on!" 

"Ouch poor Zoey! That one had to hurt!"

"Why would it? He can have any one he wants!" she said bitterly.

"Not really, he wants you, and you just said 'I wouldn't…'"

"Be serious Darien! We both know he doesn't, nothing is going on, enjoy your day off"

"We know do we? Hum… I had a day off yesterday, I'm coming to work…"

"What? No you can't!"

"And why not?

"Well…uh…because you never take a weekend off!"

"You really want me to take today off don't you?"

"Yes!"

"Why didn't you tell me yesterday…"

"I didn't tell you? Oh god…"

"Yah, so here I am awake dressed and ready to go but I can't…"

"I'm so sorry Darien…"

"No it's alright I won't come in, I guess your right I need a weekend off." 

"You promise you won't come?"

"Yes Ami I promise!" he said as he crossed his fingers.

"No crossing fingers!"

"I would never!"

"Liar! You'll burn in purgatory!"

"No I won't! More like in hell, no but seriously I won't come in I promise!" 

"Alright then, have fun."

"I will…Yay! Is that good?" he asked jovially, he knew something was up but he had no idea what.

"Sure why not."

"I got to go Ami, and before you ask, yes I swear it on the head of my unborn son!" 

"I was thinking maybe we could try live daughter?"

"Haha! NO!" and with that he hung up. Looked around at Serena who was eyeing him suspiciously.

"Un born son?" she asked curiously.

"Inside joke, we may make the 3rd highest profits in the world but we're still kids." He explained. Before she could ask any more questions his cell phone ran again.

"Volpe"

"Darien it's me, how you holding up?" the familiar voice of Rei asked.

"Same as I was last night I suppose."

"In shock?"

"Not really, past that, so what time tonight?"

"I was kidding last night if you want to wait…"

"No! You might as well meet her."

"Alright, I said 6ish last night right?"

"Yah"

"Yah that's still good, I wish Kasumi didn't have chicken pox…"

"Oh don't worry, she'll be right as rain in a few days"

"4 days and it'll be 16 days since she got it…that's how long it usually lasts."

"Miss them don't you?"

"Yah I do, Jaden especially."

"It's barely been 2 weeks!"

"I know, but it feels like an eternity. I can't stand being away from him for too long, I start to get home sick, but I wouldn't even care if we lived in a box as long as he was there… I guess it's more like 'Jaden-sick' than home sick."

"I wouldn't know the feeling."

"You will when you get there."

"We'll see, anyways, I have to go, Gus should be here soon."

"Your not going to work are you?" She exclaimed.

"Why, shouldn't I?"

"Well…I…. no stay home take the weekend off…"

"Not you too! What are they planning?" 

"Nothing, nothing!"

"Rei Ann Marie Volpe- Corner, What is going on?"

"Don't full name me!" she hissed

"I'll full name you if I bloody well want to full name…. oh no you didn't just hang up on me!!" he growled, but it was to late she already had. He turned around to hear the soft laughter of Serena.  "What's so funny?" He asked her suspiciously.

"It's been an hour since you called Gus." She stated as she laughed, he looked down at his watch and swore under his breath. 

"Oh Gus I'm going to kill you!" he said darkly, as he dialed the number. Serena couldn't help but laugh as she put the dishes away. Then she picked Ayane up and set off to getting her dressed.

"Hey Darien." Malcolm's calm voice answered the phone.

"What the hell?"

"I've kidnapped, gagged and murdered your coiffeur, don't go to work." He said in an expressionlessly serious tone.

"Oh the hell I won't!"

"Don't make me slash your tires." He said in the same deadpan tone.

"You wouldn't dare." 

"I already have, have fun at home."

"Malcolm!!"  He growled as he heard the dial tone. He smiled evilly to himself. And called a taxi. 

                                                         ****

Malcolm, Nathan, Jaden and Zoey all looked immensely guilty, but mostly shocked when they saw Darien walk in.

 "How did you get here? Malcolm slashed your tired, and kidnapped your coiffeur!" Zoey exclaimed.

"How do you think? Taxi!!"

"Damn I knew we should have nailed his door shut!" Nathan growled.

"Alright, now seriously, what's all this about?" Darien asked with a touch of humor in his voice.

"Nothing! Nice seeing you, we should do this more often" Zoey offered pushing Darien towards the elevator.

"Yes, we should" Nathan agreed as he helped.

"Yes, yes" Jaden said as he shoved him into the elevator.

"Well bah bye now!"  Malcolm said, as he and the guys waved goodbye to him, while the doors closed. 

"Just because I'm a billionaire doesn't mean I don't know how to open an elevator door!" he screamed, just as the elevator started to descend. "You'll pay for this guys!!" He yelled up.

"Well that was close." Jaden said.

"Yup real close…I guess we're going to have to tie him down to a chair somewhere" Offered Zoey.

"Yah right, how would we keep him still long enough to tie him down?" Nathan asked.

"Maybe we should find someone to keep him occupied!" Zoey piped.

"You mean like a nanny or something?" Malcolm suggested.

"Yah, nothing like a live in nanny, to get the old hormones going!" Zoey pitched.

"Zoey you're a real whore you know? Besides he already has a nanny!" Jaden informed the group.

"Really is she pretty?" Zoey asked arching his eyebrows.

"Do you think you could stop thinking about sex for a minute?" Malcolm yelled.

"Hey just because I'm getting some, and none of you geezers are…"

"Oh shut it Zoey! God your all talk, if you ever nailed that poor 18 year old girl of yours you sure as hell wouldn't tell anyone, you may act like a player but I got your number…"

"Shut up Jaden!" Zoey's playful tone was gone, and a more harsh tone was in place. All the guys rolled their eyes. They already knew, the truth was Zoey was dieing for Ami, he wanted her so bad he would kill to get her. And the fact of the matter was that ever since he'd first met her, he'd never been with anyone. He was obsessed but his pride wouldn't allow him to go after her, she'd all but said that she'd rather eat dirt than be with him. But the guys already knew that was a lie, and currently had a bet as to how long it would take Zoey to realize that.

"Wait up did you say Darien has a nanny? Why?" Malcolm asked.

"Yah, he has a daughter." Jaden offered.

"A daughter?" Nathan half yelled in surprise. "Not our Darien."

"Yup." Jaden said.

"Whose the mother?" Zoey asked curiously.

"Valessa."

"His ex wife?" All three of them asked at the same time. Jaden nodded.

"No!" Zoey said.

"Yes!" Jaden said.

"How?" Nathan asked, to which all the guys turned and stared at him. "Well you know what I mean!"

"Well I hear that Valessa, lied to Darien about who the father was, then she took this kid all over, any how, one day she decided to leave, and left the kid at some drop in center out in the middle of no where, and Darien got her yesterday." Jaden said in a hushed voice.

"No way!"

"Yes way, but you didn't hear that from me."

"Of course not Ethel, and if the rest of you ladies are done gossiping…" Darien's deep voice echoed in the hushed corridor.

"Darien!" Jaden said as he jumped. "Good god man, are you trying to kill me?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," He said pleasantly.

"You have a skull like concrete block you know that? Go home!" Malcolm said firmly.

"This is my office, and I have meetings…"

"Ami cancelled them." Zoey piped in.

"Paper work…"

"We did them." Jaden told him.

"planning…"

"You can do that at home." Malcolm said.

"I have to talk to the company lawyer…"

"He'll still be here Monday" Nathan informed him matter of factly.

"I can't waste a perfectly good day…"

"Your not! We're working!" Zoey told him. And Darien started laughing.

"You're working? You guys? Zoey I went to university with you and your brother, I grew up with you Malcolm, and Nathan…well your Nathan! I know what your work ethic is, all of you! If I'm not here you guys will just sit on your butts and…oh god only knows what it is you guys do!" 

"That's not totally true! You only went to university with Jaden!" Zoey righted.

"And you only grew up with me for like 10 years before you moved." Malcolm added. Darien winced he didn't like remembered those days.

"9" Darien corrected.

"And in university I was a royal prick, living off daddies money, I was an idiot." Jaden said defensively.

"Your still an idiot!" Zoey and Darien said at the same time. "Jinx you owe me a pop!" Zoey said pointing at Darien.

"No that's ok I'm straight…"

"Ok buddy that's just gross!" Zoey said sticking his tongue out in distaste.

"Do you know what buddy means?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"No…why do I want to?"

"Friends are friends, pals are pals, and buddies are people you sleep with!" Nathan informed him matter of factly.

"Gross! Who told you that?" Zoey asked.

"Ami, man that girls got one hell of a dirty mind" Nathan told him in fake seriousness, that was a lie, Ami was so clean she was practically innocent, Nathan suspected she was, and that she was half petrified of overly experienced Zoey, her hatred of him was probably really to hide her fear of him. But then Nathan wasn't sure.

"What?" Zoey asked hiding his rage behind a very thin veil. Why did it seem like everyone but him knew Ami on a very personal level? He was burning with jealousy, and he didn't understand it, he wanted Ami, no biggie right? Yah right, he couldn't get the blasted woman out of his mind, he couldn't sleep with anyone else, because he wanted Ami that bad, and it drove him to the brink of insanity, but it went past that. He knew she was an only child, that her parents had died when she was 12 and that she'd lived with her grandmother until she was 15, and then she'd died, then Ami had been bounced from relative to relative, more often then not someone in the family would die. They called her the angel of death, but it had nothing to do with her, her parents had, had her late, and they had been the youngest in the family. All her relatives had been in their mid 60's-70's. He knew all this from extensive research. Why he'd done this research was beyond him, all he knew was that he'd wanted to know about her, and no one else would tell him.

"Of course being that she's your worst enemy-slash-nightmare I wouldn't expect you to know that." Nathan said still smiling; he loved pushing Zoey's buttons about Ami.

"I never said she was my worst enemy…maybe a nightmare…" Zoey said softly.

"Yah we know, we know, but it's not as if you want to jump right in bed with her!" Jaden said ironic.

"Yah…I guess…" 

"What ever, can I go to my office now?" Darien inturupted.

"No!!" All of them barked.

"Spoil sports, come on I want to work! You've got to let me work! I'm begging you on bended knee…"

"Cut the dramatics Hamlet, what's the rush?" Malcolm asked perceptively.

"Time's a wasting!"

"Like you care about time, come on Darien spill it…" Jaden barked.

"There's nothing to…"

"Liar!" Nathan yelled.

"I am not lying…"

"Oh look guys Lying Mc-liar-son is lying again!" Zoey interrupted in mock scorn.

"I am not lying…"

"Liar!" Jaden piped in.

"Look guys why would I lie?"

"Because you're a liar, that's what you do!" Nathan clucked.

"But I'm not lying…"

"Then tell us what's bothering you!" Malcolm yelled annoyed.

"Fine you want to know?"

"Yes!" 

"Well to bad!" Darien said putting his nose up in the air.

"Oh no you didn't! You didn't just pull the 'snooty-rich-to-good-for-you' act!"   Nathan growled in mock anger.

"Why yes I did! Now if you don't mind…"

"Get him!!" Jaden yelled out, as they guys charged for Darien.

"You ruin my suit I'll fire you all!" Darien warned. Making them stop in their tracks.

"What if we ruin your face?" Zoey asked.

"Like I'll let you get that close! I can take all of you guys!"

"No you can't, I use to beat you up remember?" Malcolm said in fake scorn.

"I was 5 years old, and I had broke my arm, and I had the flu, and I was still beating you for most of that fight!" 

"You were not! I broke your arm! You didn't have the flue and you were 8!" Malcolm challenged.

"I was not eight you idiot, and you've never broken my arm, I had the flu and I was 5!!" Darien yelled back at Malcolm.

"No I was 5…"

"Malcolm I'm only 4 months older than you!" 

"No way you were way to big to be 5!"

"So were you!"

"Are you guys going to stand yelling at each other all day or are you going to let me through?" Ami asked angrily.

"Wow who stole your pep pills?" Darien asked.

"I DO NOT want to talk about it!" Ami said giving Darien the iciest glare.

"Whoa…Ami…"

"Francesca Frederica is waiting for you, in Jaden's office, and if I wasn't on contract let me tell you, my resignation would be on your desk!" Ami said angrily as she slammed a folder down hard on her desk.

"What did she do?" Darien asked affronted. 

"Nothing much, just told me exactly what I'm worth." Ami said fighting back tears. "I know I'm only a secretary…"

"Where did you say she was?" Zoey asked coldly.

"In Jaden's office, going to go confer with her to find some new insults for me?" Ami said contemptuously. 

"Why do you always do that?" Zoey barked furiously.

"Do what?"

"That? Attack me, every chance you get…"

"Like you don't attack me…"

"Only because you attack me first!"

"No! You always start…"

"If you two love birds are done," Darien cut the argument short. "What does she want?" Darien asked, the ice in his voice stopped them both from arguing about being called 'love birds'

"You don't tell the help personal things!" Ami's icy old voice informed Darien sarcastically.

"Did she say that?" Malcolm's voice matched Darien's icy tone.

"What do you think Mr. Miller?" Ami said looking up, on the brink of tears.

"Don't call me that, you know us better than any old floozy!" Malcolm said gently as he bent down and hugged the now crying Ami. "Now don't you cry little lady, no one treats my favorite that way." Malcolm and Ami had a very odd relationship, they'd known each other since Ami had been in elementary, he'd saved her from a run away stallion when she'd been 6 and he'd been 16. Since then he'd always looked out for Ami, he'd gotten her the job. And had made sure no one bullied her, least of all Zoey whom he'd threatened no less than 30 times her first week. Of course no one knew that Ami and Malcolm knew each other from before Linx-Corp, well besides Darien and Nathan.

Zoey was burning with jealousy, Ami probably loved Malcolm, he'd always considered it, why had Malcolm always been so protective of Ami, he didn't know, nor would Darien or Nathan the only people who would know tell him. Nathan and Malcolm had known each other since their high school days, they'd started a business together, but it had been failing miserably when Darien showed up and bought them out. Now their business was a huge success under the Linx-Corp name, the truth was they had all the right ideas just not enough money to back it up. When Darien had asked them to work for him, they'd done it with out a moment's hesitancy. With their entrance the 'team' had been created. Darien and Malcolm had been childhood friends, reunited by a twist of fate. Malcolm was a great guy no doubt about it, but Zoey was burning with the need to kill him. He didn't know why, but the words **my woman** was running through his head. He almost hit himself, Ami didn't even want him, and she thought he was worse than dirt. She was not his woman and she'd never be, he told himself that, but yet…

"Come on now Ami, don't cry your way to pretty to cry." Nathan said soothingly.

"Hey, hey stop hitting on my secretary, that's my job" Darien said with a wink. "I looove that shirt Ami, I think I'd like it better on the floor though along with you…" He smiled devilishly.

"Oh no you don't! You can't seduce my Ami!" Malcolm only half joked. 

"Why not? She's fine!!" Darien said grinning broader, Malcolm let go of Ami, took of his coat and rolled up his sleeves.

"Want to die Volpe?"  He said seriously even though he was smiling.

"Not particularly, want to eat out of a can?" Darien asked with a grin.

"Well I already have to," He said with disgust, "My cook quit, said something about being to demanding, which doesn't make sense I only demand one thing…"

"Chili, no red peppers, with a bit of Cajun…" Ami finished for him with a grin.

"How do you remember that? I don't even remember my own favorite color…"

"Ocean blue" Ami said arching her eyebrow.

"Wow, do me next!!" Darien said, raising his arm up like a kid.

"Oh that's it Volpe, it's on now!!" Malcolm said in sham rage.

"Oh I don't think you want to do that Miller, unless you want to die…"

"Did you not hear me? I have to eat out of a can!! A can!! Of course I want to die!!" Malcolm said throwing his arms up. Zoey thought he'd love to kill Malcolm right then. But instead he laughed, rather coldly, with the boys.

"Darien?" Francesca's cold voice called out. Darien pretended to gag, as he turned around, she was walking around the corner. Her wavy red-brown hair pulled up in an up do, her piecing ice-green eyes lined with kohl, she was draped in a form fitting black dress which was backless and had a huge 'v' cut front, she was wearing strapped dressy open toe shoes in black, and her fake finger nails were done French. 

"What are you doing here Francesca?" Darien asked coldly. She wrapped a long slender arm around his waist and pulled her hips into his. 

"Making sure you miss me," She said in a pleasant tone.

"Has anyone ever actually missed you besides the devil?" Malcolm said coldly.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me you two-bit hussy!" Malcolm's light blue eyes flickered angrily.

"Did you just call me a hussy?" She said in a mocking tone.

"Your right that's much to sweet for you! You're a conniving, cheap, dirty, whore!" His eyes by this point were radiating anger.

"Are you going to let the help call me names?" She said in an odd little singsong voice to Darien, who pushed her away darkly.

"Get off me, apologize to Malcolm, he is not 'help', if you spent as much time filing your nails on your own bloody company you wouldn't have to whore yourself for financial backing!" Darien roared. Her nerve had taken him back, as if walking into his building and talking crap to Ami wasn't bad enough, she'd had to barge in here and treat him like he was her bloody toy! Then she'd had the gull to insult Malcolm, a man who could have easily bought and sold her and her stupid company. Frank-Fred wasn't failing, but it wasn't doing as well as it could, Ka-Rei surpassed it in almost everything, if Francesca had any sense at all she'd have fixed the huge flaws it had in marketing. The company relied heavily on prestige to sell its clothes. The idea being 'if you wear Frank-Fred you've got money' not only was the idea stupid it was preposterous, no one but the crème-de-la- crème of society ever wore Frank-Fred that being because no one else knew about it! Armani and Gucci also famous for prestige were the real signs of wealth to most people. Frank-Fred was renown for it's old money, classic and classy appeal. The fact of the matter was that most of the instant millionaires didn't know what Frank-Fred was. He himself had only found out about it through Rei. It's old world connections and Francesca's appeal had kept it in business thus far, but probably wouldn't for very much longer.

"Excuse me?" She asked indignantly.

"And after your done apologizing to Malcolm you can apologize to Ami." He told her harshly.

"How dare you…"

"If you don't you can just get the hell out of my building!"

"Fuck you Darien, you instant millionaires have no value for class, and social status, you and your 'don't call me sir' crap! Hah! You give away your dignity, allowing the help to call you by first name, what next sleep with them?!" she howled at him.

"Oh real lady like…" Jaden said coldly.

"And what would you know about lady like? Marrying a whore like Rei…" Darien and Jaden's eyes flashed dangerously as she realized what she'd just said.

"Get out of here before I forget I don't hit women" Darien's strained voice warned. 

"Calm down Darien, she's only jealous because your sister didn't have to sleep around to make her company what it is!" Ami said as she walked over to Darien.

Francesca's eyes flashed dangerously, and she took an open handed swing at Ami slapping her across her pretty mouth. Ami tasted blood from the witch's claws, but she was to busy seeing red to care. She tackled the brunette to the floor, and punched her everywhere she could, each time she lifted her hand up to come down again it was covered in blood, either hers or Francesca's, no one knew. Darien and the guys stared in shock as Ami obviously the smaller of the two, kept Francesca pinned and immobile as she hit her. Francesca fought frantically clawing at Ami, which only served to make the tiny dark blue haired woman angrier. 

Zoey watched motionless from shock for a moment, then came to his senses and moved towards the violent Ami. And as if the woman weighed nothing at all he pulled her off Francesca, pinning her to him, her back to him, and his arms around her waist. She fought against him, swearing something fierce, screaming and kicking.

"Let me go, I'm going to kill her!!" she howled angrily as she pulled and kicked away from Zoey. But he held her tight to him. Slowly and after struggling for a good 5 minutes, she gave in probably from exhaustion. Zoey held her stiffly, as she relaxed in his arms. He had her a few inches off the floor, and her shoulder blade was pressed against the hard muscle of his chest. He was having problems letting her go, he was getting drunk off the feel of her against his body, of her scent, and the way her soft breathing was racking her small body. But he knew in a minute she was going to calm down enough to realize what he was doing, and probably hit him, but it didn't matter, this felt too good, too right to let go.

"You had to side with her!" Her voice sobbed. "Like always, it's my fault! You had to let her get away…you couldn't let me win not once! It's just too against who you are, you hate me, and that's ok because I hate you to!" she yelled in between huge sobs, she pounded her fist against his stomach uselessly because he had her pinned so tightly. "I hate you!! I hate you!!" She sobbed louder as she started to fight harder. "I hate you Zoey Connor!! I hate you!!" She screamed and then went wild trying to get out of his arms, because they were slowly destroying her defenses. 

"Calm down Ami" He said in a soft gentle voice. He didn't know where it was coming from, he was going wild inside, she hated him, she wanted out of his arms when he wanted her to stay exactly where she was. That hurt, it hurt so badly and he didn't even know why, he'd told himself right from the beginning that he just wanted her. So then why did her hating him hurt so bad? "Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you, just relax" He whispered to her tenderly. He was dieing inside, but he was saying exactly what she needed to hear and he knew it. Later when he was alone he'd try to figure out why this hurt so bad.

"You calm down!! Let me go!!" She was screaming. "Malcolm!!" She yelled as she looked over to where he'd been a minute ago, but he was gone, so was everyone else including Francesca. Then she started crying, her whole body shaking. "Let me go Zoey please." The pleading in her voice was almost too much for him to take, but he didn't let her go. "You hate me don't you? That's why you pulled me off her, you didn't want me to ruin her pretty face…" She sobbed harder. She didn't like Zoey, she didn't want to sleep with Zoey; no she loved Zoey. She loved him so much that it hurt. And every time someone joked about him being a player, it killed her. She cried herself to sleep almost every night, because there was no way a player like Zoey could want someone like her. What had Francesca called her? 'A rodeo clown in a cheap suit.' An obvious remark towards her makeup, she'd put some on, on a whim. She didn't know why she bothered, Zoey would never notice her, unless to argue with her. "She's pretty isn't she? Prettier than me, hah! Like I'm even pretty, you hate me don't you…just say it! I'm just a frumpy old bat in a suit! Let me go!! Let me go!! Why are you doing this to me? Is this fun to you…" she sobbed and fought and kicked and screamed, but Zoey wouldn't let her go. "I hate you!" She said finally. Her breath coming out wispy from fighting, she wanted very much to run, to run and never ever come back.

"Are you done?" Zoey's voice came out like ice.

"Yes I'm done! I'm done with Boston!" She howled, "don't worry Zoey I'll be on next flight out to Texas in the morning!" She screamed roughly. Zoey gritted his teeth hard, as he turned her in his arms so she was facing him.

"You will not go anywhere! You will stay here in Boston, you will keep working here, and you will stop accusing me of hating you is that clear?" He asked her in a low dangerous voice. Ami's insides were squirming but she wasn't about to let him boss her around, especially after he'd seen her cry.

"If I want to go to the Amazon on a bloody kite that's none of your damn business! I'm not your responsibility and you can not tell me what to do!" she told him firmly.

"The hell I can't! If you leave I'll follow you to the very ends of the earth, drag you back here and staple you to that desk!" 

"Why? So you can have someone to hate…"

"I don't hate you!" he growled.

"You sure as hell aren't dying of love for me either!" She roared back.

"Yah well neither are you! And I mean it Ami you will not leave!" He told her darkly.

"Watch me" 

"Oh wouldn't I love to! I'd love to watch you Ami, under the shower, alone at night in your bed, so don't you tempt me!" He growled angrily.

"Stop it!"

"Stop what?"

"Trying to make me uncomfortable!"

"I'm not trying to make you anything, stop moving!" he warned

"Why?" she half yelled. He growled as he led her tiny hand to his pants, and pressed it flat to his manhood. 

"That's why!" he roared darkly. She stared down at her hand, her hand was splayed on his crouch and even through his pants she could tell he was aroused. She stared in shock.

"Your…"

"Aroused? Want to make fun of me?" He barked. "Go for it!"

"Why?" she asked oddly calm.

"What?"

"Why are you…well you know," She said blushing.

"Why the hell do you think?"

"No clue." 

"Because I'm standing here, with an incredibly attractive woman plastered to my body! Why the hell else?" He half groaned out in patiently.

"I don't know, I'm not a man…"

"Haven't you ever had a boyfriend?" He asked frustrated.

"Well yah, but…"

"But what?"

"Never mind."

"You're a virgin aren't you?" He said suddenly stunned, that was a shock, Ami was something to look at, with her delicate face and her perfect physique, how was it possible that she had stayed a virgin this long?

"I…let me go!" She commanded darkly, she was embarrassed he thought with a grin. She was a virgin! He smiled calmly as he let her slide down his body so her feet touched the ground. But he kept her pinned to his body.

"Let me go!" she yelled trying to pull free. He smiled darkly as he bent his head down and kissed Ami for the second time in less than a week.

                                                           ****

 After Zoey had ended the fight, the guys had sensed an encounter in the works, but they had no idea it would work out so well, when the guys had popped their heads in to have a look, they saw their money slipping into Darien's pocket! Ami and Zoey were kissing, and it had taken almost 2 years for it to happen, Darien's bet. Jaden swore under his breath, he'd bet for 1 year, the other guys for 3. They knew Ami was as hard headed as Zoey, so it would take a while to wear her down, but wear her down he did.

"Watch and weep boys, but first my money!" Darien said as he held out his hand. Jaden pulled out his checkbook and wrote a check for 3000 dollars, while Malcolm and Nathan wrote out checks for $2000. 

"Your good Volpe, but it don't mean they'll be together!" Nathan said smoothly.

"I know it doesn't." Darien smiled "but it could."

"It could, so hears hoping she gets him off our backs!" Jaden toasted with the ice tea they'd siphoned from the fridge in his office. 

"Here, here." The men agreed.

"So now then, can I go to my office?" Darien asked.

"Oh come on Darien it's almost the end of your day, go home!" He howled, Darien laughed and finally gave in. 

"I'm going, I'm going, call me if anything else happens?"

"You mean like her hitting him for that stunt?" Malcolm asked with a grin.

"You sure you meant her?" Nathan winked. Malcolm grinned and cracked his knuckles evilly. 

"He's lucky she loves him, other wise…" he smiled wider. 

"She loves him?" Jaden said in shock.

"Well duh!" the other guys said in unison. 

"It's to bad he doesn't…" Nathan said mock sadness. At his words all three men started laughing.

"Aw, good old Zoey always good for a laugh." Jaden said calmly. By the end of year Zoey and Ami would be together maybe even married, if the guys had their way, and they would.

                                                              ****

"Thank you Darien!" Ayane said ecstatically as she looked down at all the toys Darien had gotten her. He'd stopped off at a toy store on the way home and bought almost half of it. He was glad he'd done it now, the look in those eyes was enough to make him spend all of his money on pretty things. He laughed at the thought.

"There won't be enough room for all this in your room, so this room," He said indicating a door on the opposite wall of the living room. "is going to be your play room, it's got hard wood floors and it'll take about a day to get it ready." He said with a smile on his face. "And most of the stuff that I got you isn't here yet." He told her. "Why don't you go get dressed we've got to go see your aunt Rei" he said evenly. The look of pure joy in her eyes was enough to melt an iceberg. She nodded her head as she rushed off to her room.

"That was a really great thing you did…" Serena sounded odd to Darien as he turned to face her he saw something flash in her eyes.

"What is it?" he asked suddenly.

"Ayane told me something…" Darien felt fear gripping at his heart.

"What did she tell you?"

"Something about Father Rick…"

(A/n: ok don't kill me for the cliffy, I really didn't mean to end it this way…sorry don't kill me!!! Please!! Anyways like it? Hate it? Let me know? Please? I'm a starving writer…if you don't review I'll die!! Because for every review you write fan fiction gives me a penny so I can eat!! Lol jk! But seriously tho review!!)  


	6. Chapter four

**Chapter four**

"I'll kill him!!" Darien's deadly voice professed. "So help me god, if I have to hunt him down, I will…" Darien was pacing, his fists clenched and his blue eyes clouded over with anger. He looked capable of murder right then. Serena was still shaking; she couldn't believe she'd told Darien. It was hard enough to hear it from a little girl. Her own memories had stirred, her eyes misted up with tears. Darien turned around suddenly and pinned her with his startlingly terrifying eyes.  

"Did she tell you anything else?" He was reeling. He looked at her, her face was down so he couldn't see it, and impulsively he tipped her chin up. Her pretty blue eyes were filled with tears some staining her checks. She looked like a wounded child. "Hey are you okay?" He asked gently.

"Yah I'm fine…" She sniffed. "I'm sorry I just can't believe anyone would do that to a child…"

"Yah well there are some pretty sick people in this world, but this one will pay, I'll paint my house with his blood, I'll rip his head off and set his carcass on fire! So help me if I ever find that fucker I…I…" he was shaking with rage. He looked down at her, noticing the fact that she'd moved farther away from him. With that realization he took a deep, calming breath and concentrated on 'happy' thoughts. But murdering Rick was about the only happy thought he could think about.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered softly.

"Why?" 

"For crying…"

"Don't be, I never liked heartless people much" he smiled shrugging his shoulders. But the smile didn't quite reach his iced over eyes.

"I just can't see how…" She swallowed hard, as she turned her back to him. Impetuously he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him. She looked up at him a mix between fear and surprise burned in her blue eyes.

"Serena…"

"I'd better help her get dressed," She said quickly pulling free of his arms and running towards the stairs. Darien was confused, he knew she was upset, hell he was bloody livid, but she was also terrified. He considered it a moment, but his mind fogged over. Oh he'd find Rick and make the bastard pray for death! Furiously he reached for his cell phone and called L.J Krux the best damn private investigator this side of planet. 

"L.J Krux…" the deep female voice of L.J answered.

"L.J, this is Volpe, I need a favor…"

"What kind of favor? The last one took me 2 years…"

"Keller was different, look I need you to find a Rick…"

"A Rick? Darien that might be a little hard…"

"He was involved with Valessa June Priecey…"

"Well that narrows it down a little…"

"They started dating or sleeping around or whatever the hell you want to call it about 2 to 4 years ago, he has a ranch…"

"Darien you know that a lot of people that Valessa was with had a ranch…"

"I know!" he snapped. "Look your renowned for your ability to dig up people with little or no information on them…"

"I usually have a full name…"

"Well I can't give you one, you'll have to make do, if you find him L.J I'll sign your check blind folded."

"Fine, but you owe me Volpe!"

"I know, I always do."

"Well I'm glad you know that, because I need something from you."

"What?" He asked apprehensively.

"Frank-Fred's reclusive heiress, Molly Frederica…"

"Melvin Broach?"

"Pardon?"

"Melvin Broach is the one who wants to know right?" Darien said knowingly.

"Well I'm not allowed to reveal that you know client confi-yah he's the one-dentiality" Darien laughed despite himself. Melvin Broach was a billionaire, a software genius to rival Bill Gates, if the man snapped his fingers people would come running to do his bidding, and yet, he was after Molly. He'd been after her since he was 18 years old. He'd made the worst mistake of his life by ousting her for her older sister Francesca. The idiot had lost his only shot with the then 16 year-old Molly. Now he was dying of unrequited love for the rumored bombshell. They said that Molly was more beautiful than Francesca. But none had seen her in over 5 years, since Melvin had chosen her sister over her.

"He should really just give up, I mean the man's only 23, there's lots of fish in the sea…"

"Yah but none as beautiful as Molly I hear…"

"Really? What does she look like?" he said anxiously. 

"Well I don't know, no one really knows, but she was always pretty…"

"Yah but Frankie out did her, cause she was a slut, mind."

"That's true, but I hear that currently she could make Frankie look like an old hag"

"I guess we'll never know, seems a shame really, what exactly do you need to know about her?"

"Well namely how many houses do the family own? I only know about 8, and I'm sure there are more, I've looked it up, it's turned up the same…"

"There's 15, they're scattered all over, and some are under…"

"The maiden name of the grandmother, I know that."

"Well then that's all I have for you…"

"Right, if you get anything else…"

"Well Frankie has a safe house just outside of Paris Texas, she never goes there but…"

"Excellent, thank you Mr. Volpe…"

"If you want my opinion L.J leave the poor woman alone, it's obvious she doesn't want anyone to know where she is, her pride was wounded…"

"Yah but 5 years is a long time to sit and lick your wounds, besides chances are a pretty thing like her is married or something."

"Or something…"

"Well I'll let you know if I find anything, but it doesn't seem to likely with the lack of information"

"I know, good bye Ms. Krux" with that he hung up. He was lying through his teeth, he knew where Molly was, and he knew the woman personally. The woman was a gentle girl, who'd been ripped to shreds by Melvin's idiocy. Nathan protected her from the paparazzi on more then one occasion, seeing as how Molly lived in his building! The rumors about her were true, she was gorgeous, and she easily surpassed Francesca, not only was she beautiful but she was kind and sweet. She reminded him of a flower, so perfect to look at but so easy to brake. Molly reminded him of Rei a lot, except that Rei was tough as nails and would take on anyone. Molly was like an emotional sponge she kept everything inside, and soaked in everything people said to her. L.J was lying too and he knew it, truth was L.J had probably already found Molly but wasn't telling anyone, L.J may have been the best but she wasn't heartless. Melvin would never find Molly until she was good and ready to be found. But L.J had to make it look like she was trying to find her, making sure key people like Darien heard that she was looking, not that she thought he was a gossip, but because she knew Darien knew Molly. From anyone else point of view L.J and Darien were playing cat and mouse, but from their own she was tipping him off, telling him to warn Molly.

"Molly you there? It's Darien come on come on pick up!" He said impatiently.

"Yah I'm here, what's up Darien?" Molly said groggily.

"Melvin is looking for you again…"

"What?" she said sharply all the sleep gone from her voice.

"He hired L.J again, but something tells me…"

"That he hired two or three people this time…" she finished for him. 

"Yah he's probably getting impatient waiting for L.J…"

"Damn it…" she started to cry from fear. "Why can't he leave me alone?" she asked in-between huge sobs. "He got the one he wanted, he got tired of her, so now he's after me again? Doesn't he know I'll never give him a second chance ever?" she sobbed harder.

"Don't cry Molly, please don't cry, look he won't find you, but I think you should confront him…"

"I can't!" she sobbed. "I can't look at him and know he'll react like all the other guys who turned me down for Frankie…"

"Like an ogling dog who's never seen legs in his life?" Darien supplied.

"Yes!"

"How do you know he'll react that way?"

"Because they all did, I had to have been 17 the last time anyone saw me"

"Yah 4 years, but more like 5 for anyone who didn't live down south…" she started to cry again, but before Darien could say anything she apologized, thanked him, and hung up. Darien glared at his Cell phone, lovely! Just lovely! He'd call Nathan later and tell him about Molly, he decided. He looked down at his watch and decided to go get changed.

                                                         ****

Serena looked at Ayane with a smile on her face. The little girl was dressed in faded jeans that had a purple flower at the ankle, an off the shoulder purple top and a black hooded sweater on top. The pocket of the sweater had a pretty purple leaved vine running across it.  Ayane' s long hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and she wore purple and white sneakers that completed her punk look. Someone knocked on the door softly interrupting Serena's thoughts.

"Can I come in?" Darien's deep voice asked.

"Yup" Serena said, but the minute the door opened she wished she hadn't. He was wearing a green tee shirt; faded boot cut jeans, and a black letter bomber jacket on top. He looked perfect Serena decided. Nothing that man wore could make him look bad. His hair was spiked up too.

"What do you think?" he asked her half joking, "do I look stupid enough?"

"You don't look stupid…"

"Yah see that's what Rei said when she bought this jacket for me, and I've never worn it…it's just so she doesn't set me on fire or anything, I have a daughter now, living might be a good idea."

"Yah just maybe" she grinned "But it looks good, really"

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying!" 

"Sure your not, what do you think Ayane?"

"It looks good," the little girl said nodding her approval. Darien smiled gently. 

"Well if you like it I guess I'll keep it" and then he reached out his hand, hoping she'd take it. Much to his surprise she did. Her tiny little hand was all but lost in his big one. He had to lean down to make it less awkward for her. But as he led her out of her room, his heart was soaring. He loved this little girl, and so help him god he'd kill the bastard who'd dared to hurt her. Walking down the stairs got a little hard, so Darien impulsively picked her up. He expected a fight; all he got was her back turning to rock at his touch. But she didn't pull away from him, or cry. She was so small Darien was afraid he'd hurt her if he held her too tightly, so he held her as if she were made of porcelain. 

The whole scene, taking place before her was heart warming, Serena had never seen anything that could make her heart melt quite like that. She wondered vaguely what it would feel like to be held in those powerful arms, before she pushed the thought far away. She couldn't allow herself to lose control she told herself, it was too risky.

                                                       ****

"About time you got here Darien!" Rei yelled at Darien. 

"I'm sorry traffic and all that."

"Yah, why didn't you call Gus? He'd get you here in half the time."

"Oh well Malcolm kidnapped him." He grinned; he bend down to hug his sister. 

"So where is my niece?" She asked curiously. Darien grinned as he pointed to behind his leg. A tiny little child moved forward to look at Rei; who took a sharp breath.

"Yah I thought so too" Darien said reading Rei as if she were a book.

"Yah even more so that Kasumi…"

"Well that's cause Kasumi has blond hair."

"Uncanny"

"No kidding…" Darien looked down at his daughter who looked immensely confused.

"We're just saying how much you look like your aunt, more so that her own daughter" Darien informed her. The little girl nodded her head.

"Nice to meet you Ma am…"

"No need to call me Ma am, makes me feel like a grandmother…"

"Sorry, then what should I call you?" she asked politely. Her eyes a jumble between wonder and fear. It was obvious she saw the resemblance between herself and Rei.

"Um…Aunty, aunt Rei…something of that nature…heck call me Rei…"

"Aunt Rei?" She asked looking up at Darien.

"Honey you don't need my permission to address Rei as aunt, I'm not Valessa." He told her gently. She nodded her head apprehensively.

"So Ayane, I don't know if Darien told you but you have a cousin she's about your age." Rei informed the little girl who smiled vaguely.

"How old is she?" Ayane asked curiously, albeit a little cautiously.

"3 and a half, how old are you sweet heart?" Rei was definitely taking a liking to this child.

"4, where is she?" Ayane blurted out then looked up at Darien quickly.

"Oh she's with Jaden, she has the chicken pox" Rei told her. 

"Oh, I had chicken pox once, it wasn't fun."

"Your aunt wouldn't know she's never had it before." Darien said shaking his head.

"Hey it's not my fault lord knows I tried everything to catch it back in my school days." She grinned

"Why?" Ayane asked.

"Well because I hated school with a passion, I tried every excuse, but your father wouldn't let me get away with it, see my mother died before I started school." She smiled at the child her pretty violet eyes shimmered in the light. The little girl smiled a little.

"You wouldn't happen to have any ice-cream would you Rei?" Darien asked.

"Nope but I got some kick ass cinnamon bread!"

"Really?" 

"Yup, turns out the chief is from Texas, he makes some good stuff let me tell you…"

"Oh don't you kidnap him now!"  Rei glared as she punched her brother in the ribs.

"You make one chief quit cooking and everyone thinks you'll kidnap every damn chief!!" She roared angrily. Darien laughed despite himself.

"Don't hurt me just feed me," he said jokingly. 

"Your worse than Jaden and that's saying something that man eats twice his body weight!" she said tossing her arms up in the air, despite her tone it was quiet clear that she was in love with the man.

"Darien? Is cinnamon bread the same thing Serena made this morning?" Ayane asked curiously. Darien's eyes widened, he was in trouble.

"Your nanny can make Cinnamon bread?" Rei asked him in a deadly voice.

"No, the child is confused in the head…" Darien began ducking a smack from Rei.

"Don't pull that! Were you holding out on me?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"No why…"

"Liar!"

"But I'm not…"

"So you were going to tell me?"

"Well no, but…"

"Is she pretty?" Rei interrupted. Darien blushed despite himself, he was suddenly thinking about the beautiful blond woman sitting alone in his house right then, probably in her night stuff…what ever that was…His imagination went wild, until suddenly Serena was standing before him nude…

"Well?" Rei interrupted his thoughts.

"Yah sure…"

"Really? Can she cook anything else?"

"Well yah…"

"Does Ayane like her?"

"Why don't you ask…"

"Ayane do you like Serena?" Rei asked the child tenderly.

"Yes."

"Good, how about you Darien do you **like **her?" Rei asked suggestively, she watched as he looked down uncomfortably pressing the toe of his shoe into the carpet. "No need to answer that"

"I don't!" Darien said annoyed.

"Uh huh, she's just a good nanny right?" Rei said winking.

"I…"

"Well then what are you waiting for?"

"Pardon?"

"Marry her!" at her words a disturbing image of Serena pregnant with his child shot through his mind.

"What!" Darien half yelled.

"I'm tell you, she can cook, she'd good with kids, she's pretty, and you obviously **like** her…" She smiled, as Darien looked more and more uncomfortable.

"Rei I barely know her…"

"So get to know her…"

"Rei!"

"Darien!" the glared at each other for a while before the phone ringing caught their attention.

                                                              ****

Serena was sprawled on the couch half asleep when the door opened. She jumped as she turned to see Darien carrying a sleeping Ayane walk in. Darien walked up the stairs to Ayane's room. His heart was in his throat; Serena was on the couch in a pair of shorts and a tank top. Her long blond hair loose about her pretty face, he wondered vaguely where his self-control was coming from as he pulled Ayane's shoes off and tucked her in. He turned around to face a be-sweater-ed Serena. She looked oddly uncomfortable standing there.

"I thought you guys would be gone all night." Serena said for a lack of anything else to say. Darien has shed his jacket; his muscular arms and chest were well showed by his shirt. The green fabric clung to him.

"Yah so did I, but Rei's shunning me, because I was holding out on her" 

"Holding out on her?"

"Ayane told her you could bake"

"Oh." As her lips made the shape Darien's body contracted awkwardly. 

"Yah…" Darien looked at her, his heart sitting awkwardly in his throat, his pants suddenly uncomfortable. "We need to talk." He said firmly, he had to put an end to this.

"Okay…" her heart was pounding, in the dark he looked dangerous, his blue eyes looking oddly hooded, his face half shaded, half lit, and those powerful features illuminated by the soft light coming into the curtained room. He looked like a Greek god, raw, beautiful and powerful. He led her out the door and closed it behind him. She turned to face him, his eyes looked odd.

"Serena…" He began his voice was husky. " You've never worked for a man before right?"

"Well not in their home, no." she mumbled.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?" he asked oddly. Serena looked up sharply at the man, slightly surprised that he asked.

"Yes…" she mumbled to her feet. For some reason that bothered Darien, he was oddly jealous at the idea of her being in bed with another man. He gave himself a mental shake, and reminded himself that she didn't mean anything to him. 

"Well I think we better get some thing straight."

"Okay…"

"I haven't been with a woman in a while, so unless you want to find yourself in my bed, you'd better stop dressing like that." He said bluntly. Her eyes widened, as she suddenly looked him in the eyes, stunted to silence by that admission.

"I…I'm sorry…"

"Not your fault," he shrugged his shoulders, "The fact is we're going to be working in close quarters, and I don't plan on having an affair."  Serena was still shocked, but she nodded her head. 

"I don't usually dress like this, I didn't think you'd be back tonight," she pointed out. Darien nodded his head, he hadn't meant to come right out and say it, but he was frustrated. He wanted her and god she wasn't making it any easier on his self-control "well if that's all…" Serena said smoothly, the idea of Darien in bed with other women was painful for some odd reason, and his words had stung, he obviously thought she was an experienced woman who was trying to lore him into bed.

Darien saw something flash across her eyes, before it was gone, she looked down, and she kept her eyes on the ground the whole time as she turned around and walked towards her room. Something about the way she'd reacted to his statement was bothering him. As if it had never entered her mind that what she was wearing could make a man uncomfortable? He brushed the thought from his mind; on the bright side she'd stop being such an unholy distraction. Hopefully.

                                                           ****

She's fighting for air, drowning in a river of tears, her own tears. The salty taste is disturbing; she pulls herself out of the pool and walks on the thin edge. Keeping her eyes steadily ahead of her, behind her a voice is chanting her name, heavy panting and the icy cry of a violent man she knows all to well. "Where are you going honey?" His voice asks, Serena walks faster, as fast as she can walk without falling back into the pool. In front of her she can see the light, she's almost there, almost…he grabs her leg suddenly from inside the pool, and drags her in, she screams and kicks but it's no use, he's too strong. He pins her to the bottom of the pool, she can't breath, his brown hair and honey eyes start to morph into black hair, so black is shines blue, and the eyes shine that fearful deep blue… Darien… "Let me go!!" She screams fighting for all she's worth, but he doesn't seem to hear her, then his voice calls from some place far away "calm down, Serena it's just a dream…" she holds on to the voice, but the man who's holding her down is shaking her so hard, it's hard to hear or feel anything, "Wake up sunshine, wake up, it's just a nightmare, come on…"

"…Wake up" Darien's real voice hit her ears like a tidal wave. 

"What?" She says panicky, her whole body going rigid in the wake of her nightmare.

"Hey, are you okay?" Darien asked gently, as if he were cooing to an infant.

"Yah, I'm fine…what's wrong?" She asked softly, she was shaking now.

"Nothing much just you were screaming fit to wake the devil." He told her calmly, even thought he looked tousled. Serena's eyes got accustomed to the dark and suddenly she noticed that Darien wasn't wearing a shirt. His broad chest was a work of art; with it's sculpted muscle and the cording around his ribs, and his flat belly it was almost too much to look at. It oozed perfection. He was wearing baggy blue plaid Pajama pants. The muscles of his arms were flexed right now, and it took a moment before Serena realized he was holding her. 

"I…was?" She stammered, she was having problems thinking with him that close.

"Um hum, bad dream?" He was having troubles letting her go, she felt so perfect in his arms. Her hair streaming down his forearm, she was an inch off the bed, and he was over her looking into those perfect blue eyes, holding her, he longed to crush her into his body, but he didn't dare. 

"Uh…no…" she muttered. Why did this feel so good? It shouldn't have! She told herself, but she had the darkest urge to move closer to him. Darien's eyes had a disturbing darkness to them. His eyes were focused on her full mouth. He was telling himself that he shouldn't, that he'd just told her that he didn't want to sleep with her, but he couldn't help it. Her mouth was pleading silently with his to take it. And he was losing all his self-control and fast. 

He dropped his mouth to hers, and crushed it with his own. He was devouring her sweet taste, and he couldn't help it. He pulled her closer to him, causing her to gasp in surprise, unwittingly giving him the opening he wanted. He invaded her mouth with sharp thrusts; he plundered her mouth, getting drunk of the feel and taste of her. He was going slowly insane with what should have been a simple kiss. 

Serena felt an onslaught of sensations; he was doing things to her mouth that she didn't know were possible to feel. She'd been kissed before but not like this, she melted in his arms, giving him full access to her mouth. She pressed herself closer to him. She knew she should have resisted, or pulled away, but she couldn't, she was too far-gone. That is until she felt him pulling her sweater off, fear slammed into her ribs hard. And then she panicked. 

Darien was losing it, he wanted her, how could one kiss have turned him on so hard? He wanted all of her, and he wanted it bad. And she wanted it to, her reaction was obvious, she was as aroused as him. He thought that until he felt her pull away from him roughly. He heard her whimper as she fought his arms for freedom. Her breathing rough, and her eyes filled with fear. Darien looked at her frustrated and aroused, he gritted his teeth as he let her go. Pulled himself off her bed and walked out the door slamming it. Serena stared after him, fear gripping her heart, he'd almost had her sweater off, almost…if she hadn't been so afraid she'd have let him…she pulled her knees to her chest and started to cry.

Darien walked into his room, slammed his face into his pillow and screamed. His deep voice muffled by the thick pillow. 'Why is every female in this house afraid of me?' he howled into his pillow. He punched it a couple of times, before getting up and heading for a cold shower. 

                                                           ****

Monday had gone by in a blur to Darien, he'd walked into the office, been surprised by a party ('congrats, you're a billionaire, how about a raise?'). Been given gifts by all, and a hug from a supposedly broke Zoey, who'd actually gotten Darien a Lambrogeni. Then there were contracts to sign, phone calls, the whole time Darien's mind kept traveling back to Serena, the look on her face, the feel of her mouth…

"Darien you okay?" Jaden asked. 

"Pardon?" he asked absently.

"Are you okay?"

"Yah sure why wouldn't I be?"

"Well for one your signing a napkin…"

"I knew that!" Darien said firmly as he looked down.

"Ah huh, and why did you write 'Serena' over and over again?"  At his words Darien looked down at his napkin, frowned and furiously wrinkled it up and threw it in the wastebasket behind Jaden. 

"What do you want Jaden?" Darien asked tersely.

"Whoa, testy aren't we?"

"Jaden…" 

"You haven't answered me yet, who's Serena?"

"None of your goddamn business that's who!" 

"Aw come on I'm your brother in law you can tell me…"

"You also work for me! I can fire you anytime…"

"No you couldn't the team owns the other half of the shares…"

"No they don't, it's 51-49…"

"Aw come on Darien just spill it!"

"There's nothing to spill!"

"Liar!"

"Would you stop with the liar thing? Leave me alone!! I don't want to talk about it!" he yelled at Jaden as he slammed his fist down hard on the desk.

"Ah, your nanny…" he said calmly.

"What!!" Darien barked. 

"You like her!"

"No I don't!"

"No you love her!"

"No I don't! I don't even know her!"

"So you still looove her!"

"I do not love her!"

"Fine, then you wouldn't care if Zoey were to go for her?"

"Zoey likes Ami" Darien pointed out annoyed; the idea of Zoey dating Serena wasn't doing much for his temper.

"Did I say Zoey? I meant Nathan…"

"Nathan!" Darien exclaimed half yelling.

"Yup, he needs a woman that one…" Jaden said casually.

"So let him go buy one!" Darien said angrily.

"Ah what do you care if he takes her for a ride?"

"She's my damn nanny! She's 22!"

"Um hum, and you looove her…"

"I do not love her!" 

"Maybe not yet…"

"Get out!"  He said pointing to the door angrily.

"Whoa don't kick me out please Mr. boss!" Jaden said sarcastically.

"I'm going to kick your ass!" Darien said breaking his pen.

"Sure you are, but before you decide to murder me, maybe you should think about what Rei would do to you if the father of her children were to disappear?"

"Oh no big, I'll give her Zoey…" Both men laughed despite it all they could still laugh. It was one of the best parts of their friendship; they could beat the hell out of each other but come back and laugh about it later. 

"So you going to tell me why you two morons are laughing as if Zoey fell of a horse somewhere?" Malcolm's deep voice asked. The big man had seemed annoyed all day, since the sudden appearance of Ami's substitute, a blond who looked remarkably like Serena, Mina O'Malley.

"Darien has a crush on his nanny." Jaden offered, ducking a punch. "I'll leave you to interrogate him, see you guys later." With that Jaden walked out the door leaving Darien at Malcolm's mercy. 

"So your Nanny huh?" 

                                                          ****

The next week went by quickly, only three eventful things happened, Ayane and Kasumi met, and had, had play dates ever since. Second Ami didn't come back, her third cousin had died, and Ami had, had to go to the funeral. Which was bogus because Malcolm knew for a fact that no one had died, she just wanted away from Zoey. The third and final was the odd way Mina O'Malley, Ami's replacement for the week, acted around Malcolm and visa-versa. They acted as if they didn't know each other, except that the woman kept dropping things, every time Malcolm happened to pass by, she refused to look him in eye, nor address him by his first name. And Malcolm looked at Mina in away Darien had never see him look at anyone else, for his part he forgot what he was talking about when she walked by, got extremely annoyed when Nathan looked at the woman, (Zoey was a little too depressed to care) and had yelled at 5 different people for absolutely no reason aside from 'he/she was looking at me funny'. 

Serena had withdrawn from him, she barely looked at him, and when she did it was usually for less than a second. She was loving and caring when it came to Ayane, but when it came to him she pretended he wasn't even there. She stayed away from him, except for their morning 'game'. So far Serena was winning 3-4. But that was about all the interaction they ever had. She still cooked, but she was usually gone by the time he got down. It was getting to the point were it seemed like a magical creature of some kind was keeping his house clean, and leaving food for him. Live was looking pretty bad.

That is until one special Sunday morning. Darien walked down the stairs in jeans and a tee shirt. He walked into the living room, and opened the door to Ayane's playroom. Sitting on the floor with her legs crossed was Serena and opposite her, Ayane was sitting on her knees. 

"Hey guys" Darien's said.

"Darien!" The little girl piped. As she got up off the floor, "Want to play?" She said holding up a blond boy doll. 

"Actually honey I was wondering if you wanted to go to the park with me today?" Darien asked.

"Of course!! Can Serena come?" she'd become more cheerful in the week she'd spent with Darien, her eyes had lost some of it's haunting but not all. She didn't ask permission to address people anymore, and his personal favorite she smiled a lot more.

"Yup, but you guys better hurry." Darien said simply.

"Actually I hate to be a party pooper but I have to do something, so I can't come, sorry I'll make it up to you guys how does Cinnamon bread sound?" She spoke evenly even though she'd gone white as a sheet when Ayane had asked. She knew it was stupid but Darien terrified her. He unnerved her and took away her inhibition, he could have had her that night and she knew it. It was a scary thought, but she figured as long as she kept some distance maybe it would pass.

"I don't bite you know" Darien said knowingly.

"I know that!" 

"Do you?" his deep voice shook her. "Well if you're sure, why don't you go get into a sweater and some shoes Ayane?"  The little girl grabbed Darien's hand and half dragged him with her.

"You can help me pick!"  Darien laughed. 

"Spoken like a true Volpe woman." He let her lead him to her room.

                                                       ****

The park was a beautiful spot just behind the building; it had swings, monkey bars, slides and all of the other stuff a child might expect. Darien sat down at a bench and let her run around playing. He watched her, she was gorgeous he thought. And when she smiled and laughed it made him feel as if he was on cloud nine, he reveled in her joy. She hadn't started calling him Daddy, but she'd stopped a lot of other stuff, he supposed it would take time for her to trust men again, considering. He closed his eyes to the sharp rage that was filling him.

"Daddy!!!" An ear splitting scream slammed his eyes open. He saw Ayane running towards him as if the devil was at her heels. She ran into his arms and clung to him, she started to cry frantically. He looked down at her; she was trembling something awful.

"Hey, hey baby what's wrong?" He asked her moving her face back so he could look at it. Her eyes were huge orbs of fear, and her mouth was quivering.

"Fa…. Father…Rick…" She stammered, as he picked her up. She pushed her face into his chest and started to cry harder. He ran his hand down her hair gently cooing soft words of comfort. He was looking around for the man, there was an average height woman standing in the distance, a little closer there was a graying older gentlemen, and a away from him were a group of children, probably his grandchildren. On the other side of the park was a red headed man, walking away. 

"Where is he baby?" He asked after she'd calmed down. She turned in his arms to look, she stared for another moment, before looking up at him, her eyes filled with tears.

"He's not here anymore…he was here daddy I swear!"  She started to sob.

"Hey, hey I believe you baby, come on lets go back inside okay?"  She nodded her head gently. And he carried her back into the building. As he turned the corner, the same red headed man was standing at the back door. 

"Excuse me are you Darien Volpe?" The man asked his voice was oddly nervous.

"Who wants to know?" 

"Uh, I'm Ayane Valessa Priecey's Guardian." He told Darien simply. 

"Really? I'm the girl's father," he pointed out. The man swallowed hard.

"I am aware, but Valessa named me as the guardian…"

"I'm named as the child's guardian in Valessa's will"

"Look Mr. Volpe, it's obvious the kid was dumped on you, I'll take good care of her…"

"Who are you?"

"Rick McNeal" He told Darien, the little girl in his arms clung harder to him. Darien's eyes darkened. 

"You are very lucky that Ayane's here right now, otherwise I'd kill you where you stand! If you want to argue that she should be with you, then take it to the courts, I highly doubt they'd let a convicted rapist have a 4 year old child."  Rick's eyes widened. "Yah I know, I know about all your other convictions too, and your 2 sons, do you really want them taken away from you? Now get the hell out of here, before I call security, and if I ever see you here again, well I don't know how your kids would live with their father six feet under. Stay away from Ayane!" And with that he walked past the man and walked into his building. He was burning with rage.  The little child in his arms was whimpering. "Hey it's over baby, I promise."

"He'll get very angry…" she sobbed

"Baby don't worry about him, he can't do anything to you…"

"I don't care about me! He might hurt you!" the little girl sobbed darkly. 

"Hey, look at me." The little girl looked up at Darien, his blue eyes darkened. "Nothing will happen to me, I'm bigger than that," he said jerking his head towards the spot Rick had been at. " I can take care of myself, okay?" she nodded her head. "How about I take you out to ice-cream?"

"Okay"

"Hey you know what I just realized?" he said suddenly.

"What?"

"You called me 'daddy'"

"Did you not want me to call you that?" the little girl asked apprehensively.

"Of course I want you to call me that! Come on now sweetie you know I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know"

"So then why are you afraid of me?"

"Cause you're big!" she said simply. Darien started laughing.

"So that can be a good thing! I can reach the top shelf in your play room," he pointed out.

"Well that's true…"

"I'll tell you what I'll make you a deal."

"Okay?"

"If you keep calling me daddy, and stop being afraid of me, I'll reach everything on the top shelf, and protect you from all bad things okay?" he said.

"Deal!" he smiled, as he walked towards his new car. He felt like melting ice-cream right then, that little girl had one hell of an effect on him. His ice heart was starting to warm up.

                                                         ****

When they got home, Ayane was almost knocked out from the drive, and the ice cream. He was carrying her in to the house, when he walked in and saw his sister, and a little girl with blond curls and deep violet eyes. She had Rei's face, but Jaden's coloring. 

"Hey what are you doing here?" Darien asked curiously.

"Umm I came to kidnap your nanny. This is some good cinnamon bread…" she sighed.

"Freak." Darien said shaking his head.

"Looks like Ayane's all tuckered out."

"Yah we went out for ice-cream."

"That's good, I actually come over for a real reason." 

"Really?" he said in fake surprise.

"Yah, you think Kasumi can sleep over?" She said arching and eyebrow suggestively. Darien smiled.

"Yah I figured that was coming, of course."

"Good, good! Well then I got to go, bye"

"Hey! What I don't even get to talk to you for a minute?"

"Nope, sorry talk to me tomorrow, right now I got a date with my husband, see you." With that she walked past him and out the door. Darien started laughing. She hadn't seen Jay in almost 3 weeks; they wanted some alone time together. He shook his head, as he put a half a sleep Ayane down on the couch.

"Hey baby look who's here." Ayane yawned and looked over at Kasumi, she nearly fell of the couch in excitement. 

"Kasumi!" she said enthusiastically.

"Ayane! Want to play?" with that Ayane jumped off the couch and followed Kasumi into the playroom.

                                                            ****

It was almost midnight when the rapping at Darien's door started. He groaned as he walked over to the door. Standing in front of him was a fearful Ayane.

"Hey what's wrong baby?"

"Monsters…" she said running her hand down her other arm, and looking at the floor.

"Monsters?" he asked confused.

"There monsters in my bedroom, could you kill them?" She asked nervously. Darien looked at her for a moment, before he picked her up and walked towards her room. Lying a sleep on the other side of Ayane's bed was Kasumi.

"I don't see any monsters."

"They're all hidden."

"Really?" she nodded her head.

"Where do they hide?"

"Under the bed, in the closets…and in the drawers…" she said pointing. Darien smiled despite himself, he was oddly glad she'd come to him rather than Serena.

"Okay why don't you go crawl into bed and I'll go find them."

"Okay." Darien put her down on the bed, and stuck his head under her bed, and pretended to drag something out from under it, then he pretended to brake it on his knee, then he headed to closets and repeated the action 3 times, then he did the same thing to each drawer, until finally he'd done it to every spot that monsters could abide.

"There are no more monsters." He said softly, "good night baby" he tucked her in, and walked towards the door.

"Thank you daddy." Darien looked back at her, and smiled

"My pleasure darling, I'll see you in the morning." And with that he headed off to bed, feeling good, even if Serena never talked to him again at least he had his daughter.

                                                          ****

Ami still wasn't back on Monday. Her replacement Mina was sitting at her desk when Darien walked in.

"Morning Mina."

"Good morning Mr…"

"Don't say it!" He warned. 

"Sorry Darien."

"Any messages?"

"The usual, nothing enormously important."

"Thanks, set up a meeting with Malcolm and Zoey alright?"

"M…Malcolm sir?" She stammered, she was not looking forward to talking to the big man. She shuttered as memories flooded her mind.

"Yup, sometime before 10:00 should be good." He said pretending he hadn't seen the momentary flash in her eyes, she was terrified of Malcolm it seemed, maybe not terrified…perhaps she just didn't like him. He was sure, but he'd find out.

"Right" she said nodding her head, as Darien walked into his office. She nervously fiddled with the phone, what was she suppose to say? No! God why had she taken this job? She knew there was a huge chance she'd run into Malcolm, but she'd needed this job, needed the money. She bit her lower lip down hard, as she picked up the phone and dialed the in-office number.

"Mr. Millers office, how can I help you?" The crisp voice of Malcolm's secretary asked.

"This is Mr. Volpe's secretary I'm calling to set up an appointment."

"I'll connect you…" 

"No wait, is it possible for us to make an appointment without…" to late the call had already been forwarded. She heard the familiar click as Malcolm picked up the phone.

"Miller" His deep voice startled her. She wanted to curl up into a little ball and scream. But instead she put on her best professional tone.

"Mr. Miller, this is Mr. Volpe's secretary, I'm calling to set up an appointment, for today preferably before ten…" she said impassively.

"Don't do that Mina…"

"Don't do what?" She asked despite herself.

"A…never mind, 9:30 is good for me, tell Darien I'll see him then." And with that he hung up. Malcolm looked as his phone, frustration written all over his face. Mina and him were no strangers. He knew her all right, he knew her a little to well for his liking. He groaned as he remembered. Mina had to have been 22 when he'd last seen her, almost five years ago. He'd made one of the worst mistakes of his life with her, he'd thought foolishly, that she'd been experienced, but she wasn't. He'd thought she was a gold digger, but she wasn't, and most stupidly he'd thought he could get away unscathed, but he was wrong. Seeing her again, was both agonizing and exciting, the woman did things to him with a simple glance that no one else had ever been able to do. But no one knew that, and he was happy for that cover, for both of them. The boys were the best, but sometimes they had a habit of dragging the past, bloody, dirty and painful back.

                                                             ****

Serena sat with her back to the wall, combing Ayane's long hair. Her pretty black hair shone in the soft light. It was both peaceful and disturbing. It felt so right to be taking care of Darien's daughter; it felt a little to right to be honest. She loved the little girl, almost as much as she was obsessed with her father. She hated being around Darien and that was the truth, the man made her knees weak, and her breath stall. But the memory of that first kiss was blazing in her mind, and I had a way of coming back every night to haunt her. His mouth on hers in sensual submerge, driving her wild with every touch, the feel of his arms, his chest and mostly his tongue was overwhelming to say the least. Her entire world had fallen apart in his arms, and he'd rebuild it. She wasn't sure how she liked the new obsessive Serena, but she knew that there was nothing she could do about it. She maintained with iron resolve that she was not in love with him.

"Serena…"

"Um hum?" Serena mumbled looking down at the little girl.

"Do you like my daddy?" She asked curiously. Serena was blown away, it was as if the little girl had been reading her thoughts.

"Sure."

"Enough to marry him?" A painful image of herself, Darien, Ayane and 2 little babies entered her mind, but she shook it away violently.

"Baby, I don't love your father, I like him, he's a good boss, but that's all there is." She explained to the little girl.

"You could learn to love him…" Ayane offered.

"Maybe, but your father doesn't love me either…"

"Umm, maybe…" she mumbled mystically, before she pulled free of Serena. "Lets play!"

"Alright baby." Serena looked at the little girl curiously, what had she meant by that? She pushed the thought out of her mind, and gathered up the doll Ayane was holding out for her. Hopeful thoughts like Darien loving her, were too dangerous, besides she didn't love him anyways she reminded herself.

Suddenly she heard a noise just outside the playroom.

                                                           ****

Mina jumped when Malcolm in his Navy blue suit walked towards Darien's office. She succeeded in knocking over three files, and spilling coffee on her arm. She swore as it burned her exposed skin. 

"Let me look at it." Malcolm's deep voice commanded. She nearly fell over when she realized he was standing over her.

"It's fine just a little stung…"

"Let me see it" he commanded again. 

"No…" she was trembling now.

"You don't want me to touch you ever again do you?" he said gently.

"Malcolm…" She began before she felt him tug her arm up to him. He looked down at her arm and swore.

"It looks pretty bad…"

"No it doesn't, I've done worse," she mumbled she was shaking, and he could feel it.

"Um, like the time you cut your hand open, when you were cutting vegetables…had to get 15 stitches…"

"That was a bad day…" She mused; she'd gotten fired, burnt and finally cut all in that one day.

"Oh I remember…" She looked down and saw him dab some clear gelatin stuff on the burn, it tingled, but no more than the rest of her body was doing having Malcolm that close. He wrapped her arm in gauze, and tied it closed.

"Where…" she began.

"First aid kit…" 

"Oh…thanks…"

"It was a long time ago Mina…" he said gently.

"I know…"

"Do you?" He said looking her deep in the eye "you haven't changed much, still a bit klutzy…"

"Hey! I was only klutzy cause you got me wound up like a Christmas tree!"  She snapped, he laughed despite himself.

"I see I still have that effect on you…" he said softly, he looked into her big blue eyes for a moment, remembering the look in them that night all those years ago…. He cleared his throat. "I'd better go see Darien…" He let go of her arm and walked away.  Mina wanted to scream, he'd gotten through her defenses in less than a minute, the defenses she'd worked so hard to put up, and he'd just obliterated them. She wanted so bad to hit herself. But instead she leaned over and picked up the fallen files, there'd be plenty of time to cry when she got home, but for now her pride demanded she didn't cry. 

                                                           ****

The drive home was uneventful for Darien, but his gut told him to get home quick. He didn't know why but his heart was racing. He parked his car in the garage, and proceeded to rush to the elevator. He reached his floor only to find the outside wrapped in police tape

"Excuse me Sir, but you can't go in there…" A police officer said as he barred his way.

"I live here!" he snapped.

"Are you Mr. Volpe?"

"Yes…what's going on?"

"I think you'd better come with me…"

"Damn it! Just tell me! What the hell is going on?" Darien said looking extremely dangerous. The officer sighed deeply as he looked Darien in the eye.

"There's been a break in and entry…."

(A/n: Ok please don't kill me for another cliffy! Sorry! I just didn't know how to end it, anyways; I need to make a small correction, when I said that Darien's mother died when he was 16 I really meant 14…sorry bout that, any who like it hate it? Let me know damn it!! Remember the more reviews the faster I write! ^_~) 


	7. Chapter five

**Chapter five**

Darien felt as if he was drowning. The words circling in his head '_Break in and entry…break in and entry…break in and entry…_

"Where's my daughter?" He asked suddenly, images of Ayane, being kidnapped, or else mounted on his floor, were almost too much for him to take.

"Mr. Volpe, try to…."

"Where is my daughter?!" he barked furiously. His eyes were livid balls of blue fire. 

"She's in there with officer Seymour…" Darien brushed past the man into his house. Kneeling in front of the couch was a dark haired man. He was talking in a low coo to who ever were on the couch.

"Daddy!" The high-pitched voice of Ayane called, as she bolted off the couch and into Darien's arms. He caught her up and crushed her in a bear hug. Relieved as if a huge weight was lifted of his shoulders. He held her close to him, afraid to let her go. He looked down into her violet eyes.

"Are you ok?" He whispered gently, the whole of his rage held behind a thin veil of control. She looked up into his eyes, her own brimming with tears. She nodded her head. "Did you see who it was?" He asked softly. She nodded her head again, swallowed hard and said.

"Father Rick…" Darien started at her, his eyes flashing darkly. 

"What did he do?" he asked in a low dangerous voice.

"Nothing, Serena hit him in the face, than ran with me to her room and locked the door. He screamed and shouted and kicked…while Serena was on the phone…and then he left…" She muttered. Looking at his feet. Darien pulled her chin up, and looked in her eye, she didn't look terrified.

"Mr. Volpe…" The harsh voice of a tall man with graying dark hair began.

"Where's Serena?" Darien interrupted, he was furious, he wanted to kill something, preferably father Rick, he looked over at the man and pinned him with an ice stare be fitting of a predator. 

"Ms. Lane, is giving her statement to Detective Richardson…" The man pointed to over by the stairs. Before he could stop him Darien had started towards it, determined to get some answers.

                                                          ****

Long after the event Serena, still couldn't figure out how she'd stayed so calm. She'd wanted to scream, and cry and curl up in a little ball. But she'd stood still, given her statement, explained what had happened, and answered all of the Detective's questions. It had all happened so quickly, she'd heard a noise outside the play room, gone out to see, come face to face with a red haired man she'd never seen before, hit him in face with the book she'd grabbed on her way out of the room, grabbed Ayane, ran up the stairs to her room, and locked the door, thanked her lucky stars for the phone line in her room, called the cops, and waited with baited breath as she heard the man swear something fierce, promise to do horrible things to her, then finally give up and storm out. She'd been so wound up in the questions, and retelling, she hadn't noticed Darien.

"Detective Richardson I assume?" Darien asked suddenly. Causing her to jump. The platinum blond haired detective, looked up coolly at Darien. 

"Yes, and you'd be Mr. Volpe?"

"Yes I would, I think you've questioned Serena enough for one night…"

"So do I…"

"Good…" The two men seemed to be in some kind of unseen battle. Detective Richardson was oddly handsome, with his light green eyes, and chiseled features, he had a scar running down the side of his face.  Darien grinned suddenly in a manner that almost destroyed the angry feeling that had been building up. "Long time no see, Yaten, I didn't know you were going by Richardson these days…"

"No one but Malcolm knows." He smiled mystically, then handed Serena a card. "Call me if you remember anything else, I'll be call you." He nodded his head to Darien, and walked away. Darien followed the man with his eyes, as he placed Ayane down. He reached into his coat pocket and dialed the number to Chateau Meridian.

                                                              ****

The room that Darien had gotten was exquisite; actually it was two rooms, joined by a long living room. On the one side was Darien's room; on the other was Serena and Ayane's room.  It had been the best the hotel could do on such short notice.  Serena was mesmerized by the sheer beauty, the long living room, was bathe in rich earthy hues of brown, cream, red, and a deep orange. The room had a heavy Spanish influence to it. And she loved it, it reminded her of home, her own house was a throw back to the Old Spanish style that had once dominated Red Brook. The bedrooms where in a class- all- their- own, hers and Ayane's room where covered in wall paper that had small lilies printed on them. The goose down beds had matching covers and sheets. Cream rugs covered the hard wood floors, the cabinet on the opposite side of the room opened up to reveal a small T.V. And the washroom door was to the other side. Darien's room was almost identical, except for the wallpaper, it was covered in roses, and the color scheme of the room was reds and pinks, rather than whites and creams. 

"They gave us the 'cozy room,'" he explained with a slight sigh of disgust.

"It's very nice…" Serena mumbled.

"The living room is nice, very Spanish, but the bedrooms are like something out of a hospice." He replied in the air of someone simply trying to make conversation.

"Well it's very…uh cozy…" She grinned, as did he, but the smile didn't quiet reach either of their eyes, they were simply trying to keep the conversation light for Ayane's sake. Darien was furious, and Serena was anxious, and both of them knew it, but they knew better than to show their emotion to Ayane. 

"Why don't you go to bed Ayane? You've had a long day." Darien told her in a gentle yet commanding way, She yawned, and grabbed Darien along with her to her room. He smiled the first real smile he'd had since all of this had happened. 

20 minutes, 15 monsters, and three stories later, Darien walked out of Ayane's room. She was a sleep finally. He was tired, badly wanted a shower, and desperately wanted to sleep. But he needed to talk to Serena first. She was sitting on the couch staring out into space, a look of bewilderment trapping her usually calm features. 

"What were you thinking?" He asked out right, he'd meant to approach it with more tact than that, but he was too annoyed, tired and frustrated to do so.

"Pardon?" She said coming back from whatever frightful hollow of her mind she'd been at.

"Why did you leave the play room? Why did you hit him? Why!" he asked furiously, he wanted to pick her up and shake her, and kiss her to make sure she was still there, and then he realized that he'd been terrified that something might have happened to her, his woman, he swore to himself, 'stop that damn it!' he roared mentally.

"Would you rather I stayed in there and let him kill us?" She asked irritated, she hadn't expected him to attack her. 

"No I would have rather you locked the damn door to the playroom!" he howled in frustration, her anger was fueling his own.

"Really? Would this be the imaginary one?" She yelled back at him in anger.

"That door locks…" he retorted

"No it doesn't!" she said pounding her fist down hard.

"Yes it does!"  He got closer to her, ordinarily she would have backed down but not tonight, she'd had enough for one day, more that enough, she was tired of being at someone else's mercy.

"Who was in there you or me?" 

"Whose house is it yours or mine?" 

"Whose in it more you or me?"

"Damn it Serena!" He said pounding his fist down so hard that the table shook. "Don't you understand what could have happened to you? He's a convicted rapist! A woman beater, the man nearly killed the mother of his own kids, if not for what ever favor god had for you, he'd have killed you!"

"You think I didn't know that? Do you think I sat him down and tried to reason with him? I hit him and ran! I didn't wait for him to come after me…"

"That's not what I'm saying…"

"Then what exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you should have stayed put…"

"The door did not lock!" she screamed out. She was shaking from anger, and fear, as the memory of the day flew into her mind tears ran down her face, but she held her own. Her tears smashed hard into Darien, he didn't mean to yell at her, but he was furious, sick with fear of what could have happened, both to herself and Ayane.

"Alright, assuming it didn't lock, why didn't you run into one of the washrooms?" he had tightened the reigns of his control. It took an effort for his voice to come out calm and even but he made sure it did.

"I wanted to get as far away as possible from him…" she swallowed hard, as she pulled her arms around herself. She looked like a wounded child. Suddenly Darien started to feel very guilty.  She must have been terrified, she was so fragile and small, it would have been easy for anybody to hurt her, he gritted his teeth, as he imagined her pretty skin being cut, her fighting against Rick. He brutally pushed the images from his mind, because they were ripping his heart with fear. 

"That must have been some punch," he said suddenly.

"Pardon?" she asked bewildered, the sudden change in his tone was surprising, his voice was odd now, filled with something she couldn't quiet place, something like fear, dread, maybe even guilt.

"For you to have gotten that much of a head start on him," he offered.

"Oh, no I didn't punch him, I hit him with a book…" 

"A book?" he said stunned. "What one?"

"Complete works of Beatrix Potter, thank god for hard covers." She smiled despite herself, she was still shaking, and even the act of smiling was hard, without wanted to cry. That was all she needed she decided, a nice long cry. "I'm going to go take a shower and get some sleep," she mumbled, because the tears where already starting to show. But before she could move away Darien caught her, and turned her to face him, he lifted up her chin, and looked into her tear brimmed eyes. 

"Hey, your safe now, nothings going to happen…" he cooed to her gently, that destroyed the last of her defenses and she began to cry hysterically. Darien pulled her into his arms, and she didn't have enough strength to even resist, she relaxed in his arms, her face pressed into his chest. Darien was finding it very hard to breath, he felt guilt, anger, and desire burning through him, he wanted to kill Rick now, and god help him he would! He stroked the blond hair gently, allowing her what little comfort his body could give. He didn't know what to say, didn't know what to do, so he stood there holding her. Taking in her sweet scent, the feel of her soft hair and skin. Suddenly and rather uncomfortably, he tightened. He moved her away from him; he looked into her confused eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to cry…" She began embarrassed that she'd allowed herself to lose control, allow him to hold her. Why had he let her go? She liked the feel of his arms, hadn't he liked how she'd felt in his arms? Or was it because she worked for him? She wasn't sure, but suddenly she became very aware of the differences between herself and Darien. He was older than her, he was stronger and bigger that her, he was more experienced than her, and most imposing he was richer and higher on the social scale than her. The man was extremely handsome, it was very hard to believe that he would not have women throwing themselves at him; it was also equally hard to believe that what he did next. 

He'd been looking into those befuddled eyes of hers, reading them as if he were reading a book, she'd liked being in his arms, oh lord help him, he'd liked her being there, she was confused as to why he'd let her go, and she was running a couple thousand questions in her mind. She was looking at him different now, as if she'd realized something, she looked away from him quickly. 

"I'd better go take a shower, I'm sorry Mr…" he didn't know why hearing that had pushed him over the edge, but it had, he stopped her words with his mouth. He tilted her chin up in order to get better access to her mouth, having kissed her while she was speaking. He tasted her, soft and sweet, her mouth accepted his, as his tongue imitated the sex act. She stood rather stiffly at first, but then relaxed, and finally melted in his arm. He slipped his arm around her tiny waist and picked her up, getting rather irritated with having to bend down. He crushed her tiny mouth, and her small body into his own. She was trembling now with desire, her nipples hardened into peaks against his chest. And he groaned into her mouth because he could feel it. He wanted her and she wanted him, this time he was sure of it. He slid his hard, callused hand under her shirt towards her breasts. She let out a moan as he touched her, his hand was over her bra, and it was driving her insane. He moved with her still in his arms to his room, and took her straight to his bed. He laid her down on it; looking into her eyes he saw exactly what he wanted to. She was aroused, and she wanted him almost as bad as he wanted her. He made short work of her tee shirt, and then went straight for her bra. She trembled wanting something she had never known, but instinctively knew she had to have. He swept away the small lace garment, exposing her breasts to him. The look in his eyes both terrified and pleased her.

"God your so small…" he muttered running the back of his hand against her overtly sensitive skin. She trembled under his touch.

"Is…is that bad?" she stammered unable to think of anything else to say. He smiled a purely predatory smile, and shook his head. He dropped his head down to her breast, tasting it with his mouth. She arched violently against him. He was losing control very quickly and he knew it. But lord help him, he didn't care. He slid an arm under her back and pulled her towards his mouth, her tiny hands came down to his hair to hold him there. He tasted her roughly, feeling her tremble, he moved his hands towards her pants, and undid the fastening. He looked up again into her big eyes, watching for any indication that she didn't want this, but it wasn't there. He pulled her pants out of the way, still looking at her. He slid his knee in between her legs and spread them apart, making room for himself. He looked into her eyes, as he unbuttoned his own shirt, and took her trembling hand to his chest, and pressed it there. He moved himself down, between her legs, waiting for the inevitable panic he was sure was going to come. But it didn't, instead she moved instinctively so that her hips were against his. He groaned harshly, he hadn't expected her to do that. She stopped moving instantly, looking up at him confused, and then realization hit him. She was a virgin! He pulled away from her instantly, savagely taking control of himself, and incredibly thankful that he'd had enough sense to keep his pants on. He held his head in his hands and swore profusely to himself.

"D…Darien?" she muttered, confused and frustrated.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, his voice trembling in the after math of their foreplay, his body was aching, punishing him for stopping it. He was chastising himself for not realizing it before.

"Tell…" She was so confused, but the daze was starting to lift, and she was starting to realize what had just happened.

"You're a virgin, why didn't you tell me?" He asked again angrily, oh he was pissed, but not at her, god she was a virgin she couldn't have known the seriousness of what they were doing, how dangerously close she'd come to losing that holy state and how much it had hurt to stop.

"I…." She blushed deep scarlet realizing that he'd figured it out, had she done something wrong? Something that had made him realize it? She was flushing deeper realizing that she was disappointed that he'd stopped, that she was not afraid, not with him. She shuttered as she quickly redressed herself. Darien swore under his breath as he turned to face her. She was exquisite, her pale skin, with it's peaches and cream coloring, her beautiful eyes, her bow mouth, her tiny body… she was shaking, she couldn't re clasp her bra because of this. She had her face away from him now, and he was almost positive she was on the brink of tears. He reached out and caught her hands, moving them away from the clasp.

"I'll do it." He muttered harshly as he undid his own handy work, he grabbed her tee shirt off the floor along with her pants, and redressed her. When he was done she'd regained some of her composure, although she looked deeply mortified. "Now we have a problem." He said to her looking deeply into her blue eyes. "We're both obviously attracted to each other, but you're a virgin, and I don't seduce virgins, so nothing can happen between us, I highly doubt your in the market for a one night stand, and I'm not looking for long term." He told her matter- of- factly, out right destroying all her dreams. 

"I know that" she muttered to her feet.

"Do you? You didn't know what you were getting into, but I did, so maybe I should fill you in, I want you, there's only so much that will protect you from me, and after a while there's a good chance that it won't, I don't want to take you, save that for the man you love, but I don't know how long I can say that and actually mean it, you've got to keep your head, because you can't count on me to stop." He told her as gently as he could.

"But you did stop…"

"Only because I realized that you're a virgin, you can't count on that to stop me every time, you're going to have to stop me."

"How?"

"What?" he asked surprised at the question.

"How do I stop you? Your bigger than me…"

"I'm not going to rape you! For god sakes I would never touch a woman who didn't want it!" he said almost furiously before comprehension dawned on him for the 2nd time that night. "Something happened to you didn't it?"

"I…"

Why bother to fight? Stay still enjoy the ride… 

****

She'd suddenly gotten very pale, her eyes had enlarged into pools of fear. She got up of the bed and almost ran to the door; Darien caught her before she could run out. Turned her in his arms to face him, she looked like a trapped animal.

"I shouldn't have asked." He muttered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." He looked at her very gently, and then said in a slightly playful voice. "You better go to bed, wouldn't want to break my own rules so quickly after naming them." He smiled as he turned her and led her out the door. When they were in the living room, Darien directed her to the room she shared with Ayane, watched her slip inside, and then close it. He stared at the door for a moment, before heading off for a cold shower. 

Serena stared at the inside of the door, her heart sticking in her throat, she couldn't breath, everything came into perspective, she'd nearly gone to bed with Darien, had been immensely disappointed when he'd stopped, he'd figured out she was a virgin, then that someone had tried…. And finally and probably most shocking of all, she felt safe in Darien's arms, that was a first. No man had ever made her feel safe, short of family. And even then Darien's arms had been a whole other experience, fear and safety, excitement and dread, happiness and deep sorrow, all locked into one, to make the biggest paradox she'd ever experienced. And then she put a name on it, one that she'd resisted for so long, she was in love. She laughed despite herself, it was ridiculous, she barely even knew the man, she didn't know when his birthday was, didn't know his favorite color, yet she knew his scent, his stride, his voice, the feel and touch of his face, his body, his mouth…she shuttered. Then shook her head, she was mistaking lust with love, she enforced this in her mind. No way could she be in love with Darien Volpe, she told herself. She wanted him that was all. That was all! Right?

                                                  ****

Tuesday at the office was painful to say the least. All the guys were fussing, asking Darien if he needed a good bodyguard, or a hired goon. 'I know this guy, very effective, he doesn't even have to touch them…' 'He use to work in the CIA…' 'Really reliable…' Darien was considering firing the next person who asked, when Mina walked into his office. 

"Mr. Volpe…"

"Yes Mina?" 

"Uh, I, um, I hate to, uh…I need to…well"

"Mina just spit it out." He said not unkindly, with a definite note of amusement. 

"My son's sick, I need to take the day off cause I don't have anyone else to look after him, it's really important, he never gets sick…" She mumbled to her feet.

"You didn't have to ask, you could have just called."

"I just found out…"

"Oh, well go a head I can manage with out you."

"Thanks."

"Out of curiosity how old is your son?" 

"5!!!" Malcolm half yelled in shock, pushed a hand through his hair, swore profusely, and paced Darien's office.

"What's the big deal, she has a kid…"

"Darien me and Mina were…uh intimate 5 years ago!"

"So? That doesn't mean it's yours…"

"Darien she was a virgin!"

"So?"

"Her parents were missionaries!"

"Oh…ooohhh" he said as the same realization hit him.

"God…why didn't she tell me…"

"Maybe it's not yours…maybe she went on the rebound after you?" 

"Darien you're not getting the picture…"

"So spell it out, if she slept with you, she might have…"

"She'd never even had a boyfriend before me!" He said furiously pounding his fist down. "She didn't know anything about men! Anything! She'd never even been kissed! She couldn't have slept with anyone cause I left her afraid of intimacy!" he raged.

"What?" Darien said stunned.

"I thought she was experienced, god just look at her, she's gorgeous! I seduced her, took away her virginity, scared the hell out of her…."

"How do you know that for sure…?"

"Because she wouldn't even look at me after," he said in a low voice, the bitterness of the memory stirring emotions he'd refused to allow to surface.

"So, she was the daughter of missionaries, she'd lost her virginity before marriage, she was probably ashamed…"

"No Darien you don't get it, she wouldn't look at me at all, like after that night, she never looked at my face again…"

"What did you do to her?"

"Well gee, what do people do when they have sex?" he asked sarcastically.

"No dumb ass, I mean what did you do after that…"

"Well I was in shock…"

"Granted, did you shove your foot in your mouth?"

"Ah…well"

"What did you say?"

"I…uh freaked out…" 

"Why am I not surprised, did you get mad cause she didn't tell you?"

"Not at her…"

"How would she have known?"

"She wouldn't have…"

"Well there you go! She wasn't afraid of intimacy, just you!" Darien said simply.

"Oh gee thanks, that so lifts a weight of my shoulders!" Malcolm said sarcastically.

"Well it should, because it means that she might have gotten the message that you thought it was revolting that she was an innocent, and so she went out to prove you wrong and slept with some guy, there's a good chance that her son isn't yours…"

"Yah, but it would still be my fault…"

"Well that was your own stupidity, you should have known better, my god missionaries!! How could you not know?"

"I didn't know about her background, until it was to late."

"So you just slept with her knowing nothing about her?"

"She was a friend of Yaten's ok! She came to stay at the ranch for a while, she seemed so sophisticated…"

"Because she was Yaten's 'friend'?" Darien suggested.

"Well partly, come on you see the way she holds herself…"

"Yah I do, but I also see a young, terrified, hardworking woman, how could you have missed that?" 

"I didn't, I just thought she was experienced…"

"The way a woman walks or talks or even speaks is not a guild line! For god sakes there are women out in the villages of Africa who can't speak a word of English, can't walk right that know a hundred thousand things about sex!" 

"I know that! Look at her Darien! She's gorgeous, she must have been offered a thousand times! How was I supposed to know that she'd never excepted?" 

"I suppose so, maybe I'm shouldn't be preaching…" he sighed wearily.

"Why not?" Malcolm asked suddenly although he had a pretty good idea.

"Had a little interlude with my nanny…"

"Let me guess, ended with you finding out she's a virgin?"

"Not in the way you found out I assure you…"

"Lucky bastard" Malcolm sighed sitting down. They both knew nothing that what was said in the room would ever get out; they were best friends, closer than any of the others. "So what happened?"

"Ah well, its sort of a long story…"

                                                     ****

Mina looked down at her sick son, he had a temperature, and he was coughing, and shaking. She frown sadly as she looked at him. Even sick he looked exactly like his father, who in all the time that she'd known him had never gotten sick. She brushed back his blond hair, and couldn't decide if it looked more like hers or his fathers, usually it looked more like his fathers, but it was soaked in sweat now. He coughed as he awoke.

"Mommy?" he asked tiredly.

"I'm here baby"

"Umm…" he mumbled as he tried to pull himself up. Mina caught him in the act and put him back down.

"Don't baby, your very sick, you need to sleep, take this." She said putting a teaspoon of a putrid smelling clear liquid in front of his mouth. "It'll take your temperature down." He swallowed the stuff and then turned on to his stomach, and fell a sleep.

Mina pulled the blanket around him, hoping that she wouldn't have to call the doctor, but it was very probable that she'd have to, when he got sick, he got very sick. She sighed, she loved her son very much, it was the only thing she had left of his father, it broke her heart when she remembered that he was gone forever, that she was alone with his child. She sighed. Closed the door and hoped against hope that she wouldn't lose his son too.

                                                    ****

Serena braided Ayane's long hair, humming out the tune to, 'beautiful dreamer'. The phone ringing brought her out of her daze, and she answered it.

"Hello" She said.

"Hi, this is Detective Yaten Richardson."

"Hey, how can I help you?" she asked smiling, she liked Yaten, he was nice man, he had an aura about him that seemed both gentle and calm.

"Well I know this isn't exactly appropriate, but I was wondering if you'd go out to dinner with me tonight?"  She thought about it for a moment, the idea was tempting, but she couldn't imagine herself dating the man, couldn't imagine kissing him, not like with Darien… she forced her mind back, why not? He was nice, and besides Darien had already said he had no interest in her aside from physical.

"Yah I'd love to!" she said before she had time to rethink.

"Great, for a minute there I thought you were going to turn me down, how does 8:30 sound?"

"Sounds great, no chance, just had to turn something off." She lied.

"Well we're going to Le Peppin, if you're wondering." 

"Never been, what's the dress code like?"

"Formal-ish, jackets for the men, dressy for the ladies."

"Um, thanks, I'll see you then"

"See you" They hung up, and Serena stared down at the phone, had she just agreed to a date? To a fancy restaurant no less! This was turning out to be one hell of a day. She needed to go find something Fancy to wear, there was always that dress…

                                                  ****

Darien walked in at about 7:30, and almost walked right back out, Serena was sitting on the couch in the living room, wearing a form fitting, knee length, light pink under black lace, dress. Her feet where clad in pointed black stilettos. Her long legs were crossed at the knee, and the exquisite length from her ankle to her knees was almost too mesmerizing to look away.  Her long blond hair was half tied back in a bun, allowing for the rest to come down her shoulders to her waist. Her big blue eyes where lined with eyeliner, and a touch of pink eye shadow, her pretty mouth was bear as usual, and her elegant fingernails were covered in light pink polish, to match her toenails. She looked absolutely stunning.

"Going somewhere?" he asked curiously, although he really didn't care, he was having way too much trouble breathing to worry about anything else.

"Got a date," she mumbled. That hit him like a typhoon, she had a date, a date with some stranger, someone who might kiss her pretty mouth, touch her perfect body…he stomped the thought out, why should he care if she was going to go out on a date? It was none of his business! 

"That's nice, anyone I know?" he asked impassively, almost as if he was starting a conversation, but truthfully he wanted to know, and he wanted to know now!

"Detective Yaten." She informed him. He simply nodded his head. Even though he was suddenly very murderous. 

"Try not to wake us up when you get in." He said blankly.

"Alright, night Darien."

"Night Serena" He walked into his room, closed the door, turned on the television, and screamed into his pillow. He punched it a couple of times, then went off to take a shower. 'I'll kill Yaten, so help me god!' he muttered to himself, as he damn near scraped the skin off of his body.

Serena, stared at her feet, oddly disappointed, he hadn't cared, not even a little. She shook her head, why should he care? He just wanted her, and even then he wasn't about to sleep with her, why should he care if she went out and slept with Yaten? He wouldn't! He'd probably be happy for the distraction. She sighed under her breath, because she was acting like a lovesick child, which she wasn't she told herself firmly. It was only lust! She'd never been touched or kissed like that before, how was she supposed to act normal after that? If she'd been more experienced…she'd have been in Darien's bed…she trembled as she realized the seriousness of the night before. It hadn't been playing, or making out, it had been fore play, Darien would have slept with her that night. Suddenly she wished she'd been more experienced, she wanted to scream, why was she acting like such a dimwit? She wasn't experienced, she hadn't slept with Darien, and she WASN'T in love with him! 

"Serena are you okay?" Ayane's little voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Yah I'm fine baby, what's up?"  Ayane smiled knowingly.

"Where you going?"

"On a date"

"Oh" the little girl's smile didn't waver, "have fun" she walked past her to Darien's bedroom. Knocked and then walked in. Ayane liked Serena, she liked her new daddy, she liked her house, but it was obvious that her new daddy just tolerated her, he didn't love her, but if Serena and Darien were to get married then she could stay forever. She smiled her mystical smile; she was going to make it happen, one way or another. Besides it was for daddy's own good, he needed a wife!

                                                    ****

The date with Yaten had been a lot of fun. He'd been a perfect gentleman the whole night, careful not to stare at her but to keep constant eye contact, he'd told her stories, engaged her in conversation, and pulled out chairs, opened doors and escorted her on and off the dance floor. All in all she'd had a great time. Yet the entire time she'd been daydreaming that she was really with Darien. It was stupid and she knew it, because the truth was Yaten was handsome, funny, kind, nice, gentle, generous, and extremely polite. Sure Darien was all of these things, but he was also, childish, smoldering, intoxicating, charming in the oddest way. Not that Yaten wasn't charming, just it was a different kind, with Darien it was natural and effortless, Yaten's was a result of good breeding, and years and years of practice on women. She wasn't sure why she was comparing the two, it seemed idiotic considering, but she couldn't help it. What ever she felt for Darien, it was strong!

He stopped his silver viper at the front entrance of her hotel. She looked admiringly at it's beautiful leather interior. She realized for the first time that night, that considering his job, he shouldn't have been able to afford the car.

"Something wrong?" He asked her, noticing the contemplating look on her face.

"Ah not exactly, I was just wondering something"

"Like?"

"Well it's really none of my business…"

"Ask away"

"Ah…how can you afford this car?" she blurted out, she expected him to be a little angry but instead he simply smiled.

"Yah I was waiting for that, it's a present from my half-brother, besides detective work is only my day job, my family owns a ranch and feed-lot." He grinned at the curious look on her face.

"Where are you based?"

"Uh…Texas, Red Brook"

"No way! I'm from Red Brook."

"Small world…wait your not Hack Lane's little sister are you?"

"Yup" she grinned, he stared at her astonished, as though he'd never seen her before.

"No kidding? You guys are nothing a like."

"Yah I get that a lot" She smiled wider, she had no resentment against Hack, her sister and her were opposites in every way, but Serena still loved her.

"Yah I get that with my brother, he's a business man, he's always seen as the more serious one, I've always been the, uh, rebel" he smiled mischievously at her.

"What's his name?" 

"Malcolm."

                                                   ****

Long after Serena came home, Darien had trouble sleeping. He imagined Yaten kissing Serena, imagined him touching her, and imagined a few other things that had set his blood on fire. He wanted to beat the snot out of Yaten, to tell him to stay away from his woman, but as he kept reminding himself, Serena was not his woman. Besides he didn't want Serena to be his woman, he wanted **_a _**woman. He wished he hadn't alienated Francesca, but then he knew nothing was going to satisfy his need for Serena, besides Serena. He swore profusely under his breath, punched his pillow a couple of times, and fell into a dazed sleep.

Serena ran a finger over her right hand, where Yaten had kissed it. She wondered what it would have felt like if it had been Darien instead. He'd smiled after the kiss, looked her in the eyes and said in a voice full of good humor 'Darien's one lucky bastard' said his goodbyes and left. She wondered at the meaning of his words. But it had been to late to ask; perhaps he'd sensed she had been daydreaming during their date, she felt extremely guilty at that thought. She hadn't meant to appear uninterested, because she genuinely wasn't, and he was such a nice man. She groaned as she started to undress, she heard a knock on the door, turned to answer it and was faced with a shirtless Darien.

"Uh hi…" she said.

"Hi…" the stared at each other awkwardly, because her dress had been unzipped half way, and his chest was a masterpiece. "Maybe I'll talk to you tomorrow" he muttered suddenly, turning to walk back to his room, his stomped his feet down hard as he threaded back.

Idiot! He screamed at himself, what was he thinking? He'd wanted to look at her, wanted to see if she looked kissed, make sure she wasn't too happy…he'd been being a moron, he was jealous for god sakes! Of Yaten no less! The man was 27! He gritted his teeth as he realized that they were closer in age and therefore had more in common. Oh why did he care? Probably because he wanted more than sex! He threw himself into bed, swore a couple more times, and tried to go back to sleep. But thoughts of Serena, beautiful and naked with Yaten were destroying his peace. 

                                                   ****

"You look like death" Zoey mumbled the next morning at the meeting. Zoey was one to talk; he'd been miserable, irritable, and very interested in his work the last 2 weeks. Ami's absence was almost intolerable to him.

"Umm couldn't sleep."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Yaten would it?" Malcolm asked curiously, causing Darien to snap the pencil in his hand. "Ahh I see it does…"

"Lets get back to business shall we?" Darien barked tersely.

"Alright, alright no need to bite our heads off…" Nathan said with an earnest grin. 

"You've been in an awfully good mood lately Nate, any reason?" Jaden asked the man. Nathan shoved a hand through his brown hair, and smiled.

"No particular reason, just enjoying my freedom." He said with a bright smile.

"Alright what's going on? Spill it!" Malcolm commanded, to which Nathan simply smiled bigger.

"Molly is moving back to Texas." He smiled brightly. 

"Whoa, seriously? I thought she'd never go back there" Jaden said stunned.

"Neither did I, it's not a huge step since no one knows she'll be there, but it's still a step." Nathan replied. He had taken a definite liking to Molly.

"Well that's good." Zoey said annoyed, "but can we get to business?" 

"Yah I agree." Darien said firmly, the rest of the guys stared at them as though they were crazy.

"You guys feeling okay?" Jaden asked.

"Feeling fine, but I have a job to do and I'd like to do it!" Zoey snapped.

"I agree, can we get to it?" Darien added equally annoyed.

"Alright…" Malcolm said rolling his eyes. 

The rest of the day was almost intolerable, Darien snapped at almost everyone that day, including Mina, for no other reason than she looked like Serena. Finally when Malcolm couldn't take it anymore, he confronted Darien.

"Alright I've had enough of you being a Jack ass, time to spill what's up?" 

"Nothing" Darien said firmly.

"If that was nothing then I'd hate to see you mad, seriously what is going on?"

"Yaten went out with Serena!"

"Yah I know…"

"Well then why are you asking?!"

"I didn't realize you'd be reacting this bad."

"Neither did I!" he admitted furiously. "I thought I only wanted her, but now I don't know, I want to kill Yaten, and I mean kill him! Just the thought that he could have touched her pisses me right of!"

"He didn't."

"What?"

"He didn't touch her, he likes her a lot, but she'd too into you to notice"

"What are you talking about?"

"I had a…shall we say interesting conversation with him, he didn't even kiss her"

"Really?" he asked relieved, he still wanted to kill Yaten, but the fact that he hadn't kissed her was certainly a calming factor.

"Yup."

"Why not?" he asked suddenly very curious. 

"Because she'd into you!"

"What?"

"Don't play stupid, Yaten said it was obvious."

"Yaten is a detective…"

"Right, well there you go so make your damn move!"

"I can't she's a virgin!"

"So don't sleep with her!"

"But I want her!"

"So then sleep with her!"

"But she's a virgin!"

"She won't be when you're done!"

"Malcolm! I don't seduce virgins!"

"No instead, you plot to kill everyone who might change that state…"

"Shut up, Yaten doesn't count as everyone…"

"How about getting mad at the idea that Nathan might like her?"

"That doesn't count either, and how did you know that?"

"You just told me…"

"Do you have a point or are you just trying to make me gray?"

"How do you know she doesn't want to be with you?"

"Well I don't, but she'd an innocent she doesn't know what she'd be getting herself into…"

"Just cause she's never slept with anyone doesn't mean she'd brain dead!"

"Well I know that…"

"So give her a chance to decide"

"How exactly? Hey Serena will you sleep with me?"

"Yah sure, that might work, if your trying to seduce a trucker! Of course not! Ask her out, see what happens"

"But I can't seduce her!"

"God your one stubborn man, fine don't take my advice, kill yourself trying to stay away from her, you know it's not going to work!"

"Thanks, while you're at it why don't you predict the day I'm going to die?"

"Umm two weeks…"

"Shut up!"

"Your right, more like a week and a half…"

"Oh that's it you're kicked out!" he said pounding his fist down on his desk, Malcolm smiled as he walked himself out.

"You know I'm right…"

"Out!"

                                                    ****

Serena smiled down at Ayane, she'd talked to Yaten earlier in the day. He'd told her that he knew she was smitten with Darien, but wondered if she'd like to be friends with him at the very least. She'd jumped at his realization, but had accepted his friendship, he'd then asked if she'd like to go to the movies as friends, because he really enjoyed her company. She'd agreed. Yaten was fun, and she really liked his company to. She brushed the little girl's hair, and packed up the stuff she'd need for her sleep over with Kasumi. Tomorrow morning they'd be checking out of the hotel, since the house had been swept, and Darien had had new security measures added both to the building and the apartment. She had to admit she was going to miss the hotel. The phone rang, it was the hotel with the message that Rei was here, and they'd sent her up. She hugged Ayane, the sudden fear of being alone was almost overwhelming, but she knew she was being ridiculous. Besides she wouldn't be alone for long, Darien would be home at four today, and at 6 she was going to be at the movies with Yaten.

                                                        ****

Darien sat quietly in the back seat of his limo as Gus drove him to the hotel. He'd been considering Malcolm's proposal, it had made sense in away, if Serena actually interested in him that was. Of well, the worst that could happen was she'd be going on another date with Yaten…

(A/n: hey well I don't know if you'd call this a cliffy…but…lol sorry, I just figured I'd break this up, instead of making it one long chappy…well tell me wat u think…seriously I stayed up till 3 am getting this done for you guys, so please, please review!! ^_~ one more thing, if you want to know when I update this email me, don't send it in a review, cause I can't keep track of it, thanks guys![ disturbed_tapestry@hotmail.com] #_* need sleep…! )


	8. Chapter six

**Chapter six**

Gus pulled up in front of the hotel, got out from under the wheel and went to open the door.

"Here you go sir" Gus said with a defiant smile.

"Thanks Gus" Darien said as he got out. Gus stared at him, half expecting Darien to put him in a headlock, but he simply walked by.

"Mr. Volpe?" Gus called. Darien turned around to face the man, the usual irritation at being referred to by his last name wasn't there; he just looked weary.

"Yes?"

"Are you feeling alright?" the concern in the big man's voice was almost heartwarming, had Darien not been preoccupied and frustrated.

"Yah…why do you ask?"

"Because you didn't yell at me for calling you sir…"

"I didn't? Hum…I'll see you tomorrow Gus" He said as he walked into the building. He was tired, frustrated, but mostly deliberating. He didn't know why but the idea of someone else being with Serena was almost enough to make him want to kill someone. He walked absentmindedly to the elevator, pressed in the floor number, and thought some more. It couldn't be all that bad right? I mean she hadn't stopped him from kissing her and nearly…. but then she didn't know what she was getting herself into, besides she probably didn't want her first time to be with someone she didn't really care about. And he'd said he wasn't going to sleep with her. He was feeling the beginnings of a killer migraine, as the door opened to his floor. He walked into the hotel room, still thinking, when he noticed a sudden lack of noise.

"Ayane? Serena?" He called out.

"I'm in the living room" Serena called out, he turned to face her, and was faced with a rather stunning Serena. She was wearing a white tank top and dark jeans that fitted a little to well for Darien's comfort. Her long hair was wavy and down, and her pretty feet were in a pair of baby pink flip-flops. She had a glow about her, which came from a certain lack of makeup, and a soft tan that she'd always down played. She was having a little feast of the eyes herself. He was wearing a navy blue suit, with a white shirt, and baby blue tie. She wondered vaguely if that was Darien's favorite color.

"Going somewhere?" he asked her, perhaps because the way she was looking at him was making it very hard to breath.

"Movies…" she mumbled.

"Oh…what movie?" He asked, he didn't really care, but it was all he could do to stop himself from grabbing her.

"Um…. uh…I don't know…" she mumbled helplessly. "Stop that…" she whispered.

"Stop what?" He asked in an undertone. He'd just thrown caution to the wind, she had a drugging effect on him, god help him he didn't think he could stop.

"Don't play dumb…."

"Not playing Serena…" he spoke in a low even dangerous voice that shook her to her core.

"Stop that…."

"Why?"

"Because!" She ragged; she wanted this too much, it was terrifying to think that she'd gladly follow him to bed.

"You don't even know…"

"Yes I do!"

"Umm…fill me in" he purred out, she trembled because he had her trapped, and he didn't even know it.

"I…."

"That's what I thought…" His voice was deep and husky.

"Yaten will be here soon…" she said as he took a step towards her. That stopped him dead in his tracks.  His eyes narrowed as he looked into hers. Serena saw them flash; she took a step back, because it was terrifying.

"Yaten…" he repeated, his voice had turned ice cold.

"I have a date with him…" She told him, it was only a half-lie and besides she was protecting herself, she was drugged up on him, and if she didn't keep him away from her they'd both regret it she reasoned. Even though she knew she'd never regret it.

"Do you? Imagine that, you one of his Twinkies," he said dark rage mounting him, as he considered the possibility. That pissed Serena off, how dare he? How dare he call her a Twinkie? She hadn't so much as kissed Yaten, if anything she was Darien's Twinkie! But she thought better of telling him that.

"What I do in my personal life is none of your business," she told him coldly.

"Oh no, by all means, go out and sleep with Yaten!" the challenge just oozing off of his words.

"Better him than you!" she yelled out furiously. "Bet he's forgotten more about kissing than you'll ever know…" His eyes darkened considerably, as he moved towards her.

"You want to find out?" he asked her darkly, as he walked her into the back wall trapping her there. He placed his big hands on either side of her head. She trembled, he was too close, his scent filling her nostrils, he was too perfect, too masculine, he was exciting her senses, she needed to get out, and get out now.

"Darien…I have to…" she said her voicing shaking almost as bad as the rest of her. He didn't even respond. His blue eyes had darkened with intent, she could see him breath; his chest rose and fell roughly, as if he was having problems getting air in and out. He was too close, and any minute now she was going to lose her control, she wasn't going to be able to stop, she'd let him…it was now or never, she had to get away, because the thought of him kissing her again, the thought of something more happening was too deliciously sweet. "Stop it…damn you stop it…." She cried out, she put her hands on his chest, testing the strength of it. 

"You started it," he pointed out, as he bend down and crushed her mouth under his. He wasn't gentle not even a little bit. He was rough and demanding, as if the feel of her soft body under his was driving him wild. He was starving for her, he'd wanted her from the moment he'd seen her, and a few hungry kisses here and there was not enough, he knew it so he got rougher. He leaned down, so that his hips and thighs were fully against her, his chest was against hers, and she was trembling like crazy. The kiss was anything but romantic; it was wild, crazy and passionate. It should have scared her, should have made her want to run, but it didn't. He nudged her lips apart; he nipped at the lower one, shocking her. He'd never done that before, he pressed closer to her; the feel of her soft breasts under his chest was driving him crazy. He wanted her mouth, as he wanted her perfect body, he wanted her so bad. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, past her trembling lips, to tangle with hers, he groaned as he trapped her fully against the wall. He pulled up then to look at her, but she wouldn't let him, she laced her hands through his hair and tugged him down to her, he came without protest. But a little shocked, he'd been a lot rougher than he'd meant to, he was sure she'd be trying to stop him, maybe in tears, but she wasn't, she was as demanding as he'd been before, instinct had kicked in he was sure, that and she was copying what he'd done. She nipped at his lower lip to open his mouth, and pushed her tongue in, he groaned roughly, as he picked her up so he wouldn't have to bend down. Suddenly he lifted his head up. And looked her in the eye.

"Dar…" she stammered, unable to put more than that together.

"Serena, we have to stop…" he began agony in his voice.

"Why?" she asked startled. She was past embarrassment; she wanted him, all of him.

"Because if we don't stop now, I won't be able to stop…"

"So?" 

"So! Serena…"

"I don't care Darien…"

"I can't be gentle, I want you too bad…"

"I didn't ask for gentle…" She said as she crushed her mouth to his. She was still in his arms, a little off the floor. Darien gave in to her; he kissed her back, and then pulled her fully into his arms, so that he was holding her across his chest. Still kissing her he carried her off to his room. He slammed the door behind him, he ripped away the covers on his bed, and placed her down on the rose colored sheets. He stared down at her, as he pulled off her tank top, he was still burning from dark rage, and equally violent desire. She lay there slightly trembling, he ripped of her pants next; he didn't have the patients to build up to anything. He threw of his jacket, and ripped his shirt open, completely oblivious to the buttons. "You just ruined your shirt…" She mumbled.

"I've got plenty," he told her as he threw it to the other side of the room. He crushed her mouth, before she had a chance to say anything else; his ardor was feverish, intense and mildly frightening. He was almost brutal, as he crushed her, his powerful body rippling with subdued strength. He could feel her heat, smell her sweet scent, she was warm and soft under him. He felt her nails biting into his shoulders; she was kissing him back with a passion almost as intense as his own. He unclasped her bra, and jerked it out of the way, exposing her breasts to him. He brought his mouth down to her, and began to suckle at her, she arched at the touch, and he caught her and moved her closer to his mouth, while his other hand pulled her underwear off. He was burning with desire, more desire than he'd felt in a long time. He pulled up from her, and stared down at her, she was exquisite. He undid his pants, and moved his boxers out of the way. He touched her, and was surprised to see she was ready for him. He dropped his mouth down to hers, teasing her lips apart he plunged his tongue into the sweet darkness of her mouth. She moaned, as she dug her nails in deeper, and her body was moving under his seductively.  He caught her thigh, and moved her completely under him, he moved one long leg in between her legs, and nudged them apart, the softness of her yielding body and the eagerness of her tiny mouth was driving him crazy. He looked her in the eyes, as he penetrated her in one smooth, hard motion of his hips. His hard, insistent mouth stifled her tiny cry of helpless pain. 

Her hands smoothed steadily down his back, caressing him tenderly, she groaned softly as she lifted her hips up inviting him to move even deeper into her. She was trembling. 

"Tell me what to do," she whispered, "I don't want pleasure if I can't give it back…" She pushed her face into his throat. He caught her head and moved her back so he could look at her, that hit him hard, he'd hurt her, he knew it, the unselfishness of that statement hurt. He hadn't meant to hurt her; she wasn't use to the demands his body was asking of hers. His lips touched all over her face, tasting and teasing her lips. His body teased as well, as he fenced with hers, prolonging the contact and then denying it. She gasped with every slow powerful movement of his body. He whispered something into her ear, and she blushed but obeyed, contracting the lower part of her belly in a slow sensuous motion. He groaned sharply. "Do you want that?" She whispered as she did it again. 

"Yes" he managed his voice trembling "Yes honey" he twisted his hips against hers intensifying her soft moans. Her soft body clenched and as he felt it a sharp surge of pleasure ran through him. There was a sensation of terrible tension before he was slammed with white hot passion that lifted him in an arch over her, and then brought his hips crushing back to her, her body resisted him once more, just briefly, he heard her cry out again. He moved his hips in a slow smooth movement, she looked up at him, but she couldn't see him, she felt herself falling slowly into an intense passion, as she dug her nails into his back, holding tight while he intensified the slow, deep, powerful movement of his hips. 

"Am I hurting you?" he whispered harshly. She couldn't even speak, she just shook her head. She shivered as the pleasure crept through her, she reached up and touched his face tenderly, and her eyes were almost too much for Darien. She cried out as the mounting pleasure hit a breaking point. Something possessive crossed Darien's face, as his darkened eyes bore into hers, and the movements of his body became more insistent, he caught her wrists and pinned them over her head as his body moved feverishly against hers, she lifted towards him, moaning as each trust brought a new level of passion. Her reaction was fueling his; he could feel the spiral the old familiar spiral of ecstasy. He arched himself above her, increasing his possession, her long legs wrapped around the back of his and she gasp as the new position made the pleasure tear through her like a hot knife. She cried out, it was unbelievable, there was no way she could survive this; it was too much. 

He let go of her wrists, and caught her head moving it back so he could look into her eyes; they were almost black, burning with the nearness of fulfillment. She was dying, the pleasure was so deep it felt like pain, but she didn't want to let it go, she began to sob; he found her mouth and took it His body promised satiety. She begged him to end it, sobbing, moaning harshly as he build the tension to the breaking point, and still it went further. 

"Now…it's now…" he bit off harshly. She went of the edge then, her voice broke on a high little cry of pure passion, her body arched. She looked up at him wide eyed, and then she gave in to his body's demands. He watched her, the helpless convulsions of her body, sent fire through his, he could feel it in his spine, ripping, tearing, possessing, he felt it take him with a force that shook him, he felt the heat explode from him, in a intense flood of perpetual ecstasy. It was exquisite, he gave into it, the hot sweet tsunami, he groaned harshly as his body corded, convulsed over hers, rippling over and over again with physical pleasure. He cried aloud sharply, his voice breaking at the intensity of passion that all but cost him consciousness. Never had it been like this, never!

Darien looked down at Serena, he was still trembling, his hair was damp with sweat, and his face was taut with the aftermath of their passion. He took a slow steadying breath; her eyes were filled with shock and uncertainty. His own eyes were dark, fierce and filled with something she couldn't quiet place. He shivered again, as the waves of pleasure diminished, he looked into her curious, shocked eyes and allowing her to share his ecstasy until the spasms began to ease, and he relaxed, his body with all its formidable weight crushed her into the mattress. He lifted away from her barely able to breath; he moved and looked down at her. He frowned as his touched her thigh and brought up blood.

"Did I bleed?" she asked looking at his odd expression. He nodded his head, something pained crossed his face; something she hadn't seen before.

"Was it bad?" his voice had an odd sound to it.

"No, it was…perfect" she whispered, Darien bend down and brushes his lips against her lips, her nose her eyes, where he tasted her tears. 

"Don't cry baby" he whispered his voice reverent. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you…" he said totally missing the real reason for her tears.

"It was beautiful, it was so perfect…more than anything I could have imagined…" she sobbed. Darien caught her face and moved it so he could look at her.

"It was, it's never been like that before" he admitted. Kissing her gently, she reached out and caught his neck, pulling him back to her. "Not yet…it's too soon for you," he whispered pulling away from her. He took one long look at her, a smile of pure possessiveness pulled at his perfect mouth. "God I could just spread you over a cracker." He kissed her again, making her tremble with renewed desire. "Umm…that wasn't a very smart idea, I like kissing you did you know?" he whispered huskily, getting up off the bed. "How does a soak in the tub sound to you?" 

"Darien…" she mumbled slightly embarrassed.

"Umm?" he said turning around to face her.

"I…uh…I can't walk…" she whispered, he winced, as he reached down and picked her up. He could have kicked himself; he carried her into the washroom, and started the whirlpool tub, thankful that hotel had one. It took a surprisingly short time for the tub to fill up, then as is she were a treasure too precious, he slid her into the tub. He let her soak in the tub while he took a shower in her washroom. All the while punishing himself for what he'd done. He'd slept with her after saying he wasn't going to, he'd lost his head, and hurt her, bad enough that she couldn't even walk, and…and he hadn't used protection. It hit him like a tidal wave, what was he thinking? He could have very possibly gotten her pregnant, and if he had, it would be entirely his fault, she was a bloody innocent, he winced as he remembered the blood. He was about ready to beat himself to a bloody pulp, when it occurred to him that she had a date with Yaten. 

At the same time Serena was thinking about it too. Yaten would be expecting her, she'd have to cancel, she couldn't see him like this, her lips were swollen from Darien's delicious kisses, and the more she sat in the tub the more it became evident that she was sore, very sore. But she didn't regret it, it had been perfect, she knew in her soul that that was all Darien could offer her, he wasn't the marrying type, she knew it, Valessa had soured him on it. She sighed as she dunked her head under the water. At least she'd have a memory to live on, because she was sure she could never let another man touch her like that. She finally admitted it to herself; she was in love. There were worse things, she couldn't decide what they could be but there were. Maybe it was foolhardy to fall for a man she hardly knew but it had to be love, she would die for him, she would do anything for him. She pushed her hair out of her eyes. Right now all she wanted was to curl up and sleep, preferably with Darien. She pulled herself out of the tub, most of the soreness was partially taken away, she could walk although a little shakily. She got up and pulled a towel around her.

 All her clothes were in the other room, besides the ones she'd been wearing before. She looked at the floor at her clothes strewn along with Darien's; she secured the towel around herself, and bent down to pick up her clothes. She looked at her white tank top one of the straps was broken, she looked at it for a moment and then laughed despite herself, she picked up her jeans expecting similar damage. But they were fine, along with everything else. It seemed her poor tank top had taken the brunt of the injuries. She laughed helplessly. As she got back into her clothes everything except her top. She wrapped the towel around herself again and turned to leave, and was faced with wet haired be-toweled Darien. 

Darien eyed her delicately; she was a little shaky on her feet, her lips were swollen, and the way she was standing wasn't helping the obviousness of her soreness. But still she managed a smile that lit up her beautiful face. 

"Hey, I was just going to get a top," she giggled as she held up her tank top, with one of the straps broken.  He looked at her incredulously stunned to silence by her odd humor. 

"Sorry about that…" He muttered still eying her suspiciously.

"Oh don't worry, I hated this stupid thing anyways, it was just too warm to wear anything else." She said grinning. Then she burst out laughing. 

"What's so funny?" Darien asked confused.  She kept laughing tears in her eyes.

"I just…. I can't…" was all she got out before she doubled over laughing. Darien stared completely at a lost for words. She stopped, wiping her eyes; she took a deep breath and looked up at him again. "I have no clue," she said shrugging her shoulders, and then she started laughing again, this time Darien couldn't help it either, he started laughing too, and once he started he couldn't stop. They laughed for a long time, for no reason but it felt good. Finally when all of it was spent, they wiped their eyes. And looked at each other.

"I think that's the first time I've ever laughed for no reason" Darien admitted. Serena grinned impishly.

"I guess I was just a weird kid but I laughed for no reason all the time, I was born laughing if you believe my mother." She tucked a tuff of wet hair behind her ear. "As much as I enjoy seeing you in a towel, I'm pretty sure you should get dressed, and I need a shirt" She smiled at him, her humor returning as she walked past him to her own room. He watched her walk, seeing a fine wobble. He closed his door behind him, and started to get dressed. Because if he allowed himself to think about it, he'd kill himself with the mounting guilt, not to mention the disturbing feeling he'd gotten when he'd seen her. God help him he didn't regret what had happened.

                                                           ****

Yaten had been very understanding of her 'feeling under the weather'. So much so that it made Serena guilty for lying, but she wasn't about to admit the real reason to why she couldn't make it. She hung up the phone, and pulled her football jersey around her, she'd stolen it from her older brother before she'd moved. 

"Nice jersey" Darien's deep voice said from behind her ear. She jumped; she was sitting on her bed with her back to the door.

"Thanks, it's my brother's," she admitted. He'd assumed it was, because it said 'Lane 58' on the back of the midnight blue jersey.

"He played football?" he asked curiously.

"Yah he played it all through high school, he even got a scholarship through it, but then he had his injury and he had to quit." she sighed pulling the blanket that was draped around her closer.

"What sort of injury?" He asked moving towards her, he sat down on the bed beside her, she turned to face him, he was wearing a black tee shirt that said 'rebel' on the front, and a pair of jeans, he was barefoot, and his hair was tousled looking and still a little wet. She was sitting with her knees against her chest and he had his legs crossed at the ankle.

"Car accident, he damaged a vertebrae, the doctor said he could never play football again, it was too dangerous, he said he was lucky to be walking." She told him. 

"That had to be tough."

"It was, but he got over it, actually he had a little help getting over it, he met June in physiotherapy. She was the nurse of all things." She smiled.

"Nice…so he's married?" he offered, he was suddenly very curious about her life, he had been before but now he had to know.

"Yup, him and June have been married for 3 years"

"Do they have any kids?"

"No, but then I don't think they ever will" she said sadly.

"Why not?" he persisted, he knew it was none of his business but he had to know, for some unfathomable reason.

"Because June got into a serious accident, the doctors said she'd never be able to talk, and when she did it, they said she'd never be able to walk, and when she did that they said she'd never be able to have children, and they've been trying for 3 years…" she sighed. 

"What kind of accident?"

"She got shot, by her father, she was only 10, she had to learn to do everything all over again, and she did, she's gorgeous though, you'd never be able to tell she was shot in the head if she didn't show u the scar on her forehead." She looked up at him his eyes were dark.

"That had to be hard for your brother to take, I'll bet he wanted to kill her father…" he clenched his jaw as the image of Serena being shot ran through his mind.

"It was, he loved her desperately, and when he found out where he was, it was harder." She looked up at him her eyes a light with soft beauty. 

"What does your brother do?" he asked curiously.

"Well he was a Texas Ranger, then he went to the FBI, became a mercenary, and now he owns a couple restaurants and bars and stuff." She said with an odd little grin.

"Well that scares me, I wouldn't want a bartending Ex. Mercenary who knows people in the FBI and who trained as a Texas Ranger coming after me…" he mumbled in sham fear. 

"Why would he come after you?" She asked stunned, even though she knew he was joking.

"Well lets see, I deflowered his sister…I don't know that seems like a valid reason to me…" she burst out laughing.

"Would you shoot a man for deflowering your sister?" she asked with obvious amusement in her voice.

"Why don't you ask Jaden?" Darien asked arching an eyebrow. 

"You didn't…" she said although from the look on his face it seemed quite possible.

"No I didn't shoot at him exactly…more like at his foot…" she laughed helplessly.

"Really?" 

"Well, he was standing on my stairwell with my sister in his arms," He told her with a grin on his face, because he wasn't lying. "So I got my rifle, and he went running," she couldn't stop laughing.

"I bet he was afraid to come back…" 

"Are you kidding? Not a whore like Jaden, he came back the next day." he started to laugh. "Well I'd known him since my university days, and I'd beaten him up a couple of times, but I'd never tried to shoot him!" 

"My sister Hack did that to one of my boyfriends, she had impeccable timing, I was just telling him that if tried to kiss me Hack would kill him, and there she was holding a gun stroking it almost lovingly, 'feeling lucky are we McGuire?' I've never seen anyone run so fast in my entire life." She grinned sheepishly, because it had been horrifying at the time. 

"Oh I did that a couple of times, I recall Rei yelling at me that she'd…"

"Die a virgin" she finished for him.

"I guess you were both wrong," he said evenly, as he looked down at her.

"Darien…" she whispered, because his gaze was setting her on fire.

"We need to talk…" he told her gently. She looked up at him, those pretty eyes of hers filled with an odd sort of trust, the trust he was sure he'd broken.

"I guess we do," she mumbled.

"I…god…did I hurt you?" he forced out, because it had been eating him alive. She looked up at him, the look of deep pain in his eyes was almost enough to rip a hole in her heart, and she reached out and touched his hand.

"Only a little bit," she told him softly, taking his big hand in her smaller one. "And it only hurt for a second, I swear" she said taking her other hand and placing it over her heart. 

"You couldn't walk," he pointed out.

"I was sore, that's all." She told him, she reached up and brushed her lips against his hard mouth. "If you hurt me would I still touch you?" she asked him. He looked deep into her eyes. And leaned closer letting her kiss him. She kissed him tenderly, with all the love she had for him, she adored his mouth with her own. Then she pulled away softly, looking into his stunned eyes. No one had ever kissed him like that; the tenderness of her had almost made him want to drown himself for not being gentle with her.

"God, I'm sorry," he whispered, brushing golden hair out of her face. "I should have been gentle…" he whispered.

"It was perfect the way it was, besides I didn't ask for gentle" She looked into his beautiful eyes, adoring every line of his perfect face.

"You didn't have to, you needed it" he ran his hand gently down her cheek. 

"Don't beat yourself up over it," she whispered seeing the guilt in his eyes, impulsively she reached out and pulled herself to him. She placed her cheek on his chest, and her arms around his waist, his arms wrapped around her softly. She felt safe and protected in his arms. She felt his cheek against her hair. And she closed her eyes not wanting the feeling to pass. Darien felt things he'd never felt before. There was Serena holding him, making everything brighter, he felt safe in her arms, as he'd never felt in any body else's. She made him feel strong and weak at the same time, he knew then that he'd protect her, that he'd never let any harm come to her, he didn't want to name what he was feeling for her, so instead he held her close, never wanting to let go. All thoughts of saying anything else passed, as he stroked her silky hair. He still wanted her, but not tonight, she was still hurting, but the thought of never being with her was profoundly disturbing, so instead he didn't think about it. The phone rang bringing them both out of their trance. Darien released Serena, as he reached for the phone.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Darien, this is Ami…"

"Ami! Where the heck have you been!" he exclaimed. Missing the look on Serena's face. She'd always wondered about their closeness, it seemed like they where a little too close to be just secretary and boss, she tried to brush it from her mind, but images of Darien and Ami lying in bed almost ripped her to tears.

"Texas, I'll be coming back this week…"

"I thought you were going to quit, what with the whole Zoey thing."

"I am no coward, even if I've been acting like one, I'll be back on Thursday." She said fiercely, Darien grin secretively, she'd be running for the hills when Zoey saw her.

"No honey, I know your not, but don't be stupid…." Serena's heart hurt, had Darien just called Ami 'honey'?

"Look it was just a stupid kiss, a stupid, stupid kiss, and it's high time I start acting like an adult, I'll be back on Thursday!"

"It wasn't a stupid kiss, it meant something or you wouldn't have run away!" Serena felt her heart stop, she decided she shouldn't be hearing this and excused herself to the living room. She sat on the couch not hearing the rest of the conversation, her heart felt heavy. Had she just been a replacement for Ami? She shuttered, from the one sided conversation she'd just heard it sounded as if Ami had resisted Darien's advances, but what did 'Zoey' have to do with it? Who was Zoey anyways? She pushed a hand through her hair connecting dots, maybe Darien had been trying to get Ami into bed for years, and maybe he'd kissed her and she'd run for dear life, but now she was coming back…. did that mean…? She placed her head in her hands. She felt as if the world had just ended. She swallowed back tears, she shouldn't cry, it wasn't as if he'd professed any undying love to her, all they'd done was have sex, she grimaced because it had been more to her. But she forced herself to accept it, she was in love no amount of rationale could change that, but she wasn't fool enough to expect it back now. 

"Hey are you okay?" Darien's concerned voice asked, she swallowed hard, 'no I'm not okay, my heart is breaking because you want your secretary, and I'm in love with you' she thought miserably.

"Yah I'm fine, just a headache" she improvised. 

"Aspirin or Tylenol?" he asked enigmatically.

"Uh…Tylenol…why?"  

"What do you want for dinner?" he asked ignoring her question.

"Umm…I don't know…" she mumbled, slightly confused.

"I have a craving for pizza, topped with some strawberry ice cream and caramel chunks." He said with a grin. Serena arched her eyebrow, completely at a loss. "Yah I know I eat like a pregnant woman, my sister has been saying that for years, particularly after I started eating ice cream with pickles." He smirked.  

"I've tried that before, it was kind of…"

"Nasty? No worries I have bizarre eating habits." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"I never noticed."

"Well that's cause you've only seen me eat once, and nobody messes with cinnamon bread!" He grinned sheepishly. "But if you're in the mood for something less…uh…bizarre I could just order the hotel's special." 

"No I'm fine…"

"Liar!"

"No really I'm not hungry…"

"Ah-haha that's a good one!"

"But I'm not…"

"Sure, you're skinny enough as it is, no need to starve yourself…"

"I am not starving myself!"

"Fine I'm fattening you up then, no more arguments your going to have to eat!"

"But…"

"I'm sorry I don't speak English!"

"What a coincidence neither do I!"

"Well I speak a language you don't understand!"

"What would that be?"

"Guyish!" He grinned.

"I have brothers." She pointed out.

"Fine then I speak Darien-ish!" 

"Would the receptionist be able to understand this language of yours?" 

"I don't know lets find out." He picked up the phone, as Serena glared at him. 

"Yah hi, this is room 382, I'd like to order two of your dinner specials, white grape juice, and a Tylenol. Right thanks." He hung up.

"White grape juice?"

"It's good for the soul," he informed her with a look on his face that was almost too much for her.

"My mother use to say that about every putrid medication she made me take." Serena said disgusted.

"So did mine, of course I was a good kid I did as I was told, unlike you hell kitten." 

"Says the man with the rebel shirt!" 

"Yah well it's a rotten lie, who have you been talking to, cause their lying!" he said very fast and with narrowed eyes. She laughed helplessly. "See there you go again trying to give me a heart attack by making it sound like my reputation was up in smoke, you bad kid!" 

"You mean your reputation as being a tycoon with a heart of stone?" she offered.

"Hey! My heart's made of muscle thank you very much! Muscle and fat, and vacuoles and all that other stuff, I didn't like biology" he grinned shrugging his shoulders. 

"Are you kidding? I loved bio, especially dissecting frogs!" she grinned. He arched an eyebrow at her.

"I hated that! Well mainly cause I had a pet frog named Gimpy…poor thing my landlady cooked him up…" He said disgusted. 

"What don't you like frog legs?" she said mischievously. He eyed her with narrow eyes.

"Gimpy only had one leg, I accidentally drove over the other one" 

"Poor Gimpy, I had a pet hamster, my younger brother threw him out of a moving car" His eyes widened.

"Now that's just cruel…"

"Oh he was already dead." She told him. He stared at her and the burst out laughing.

"That did you call it?" he asked her. She smiled helplessly.

"I didn't name him, my kid brother did, Pukey" 

"Interesting brother, how old was he?" he said arching an eyebrow.

"He was 7 or 8" she smiled.

"So you had to have been 17 or 18?" he asked. She nodded her head. "And you had a pet hamster?" 

"I rescued him from my best friend, he was blinded in one eye, and his fur ran the wrong way on his left side, but I loved him." 

"It's odd how you love the gimped ones, my sister rescued a cat once, it was one hell of a holy terror, it'd been abused as a kitten, it scratched up my sister like crazy, but when it died she cried for days." 

"Tough love is always the sweetest," she agreed.

"Why do you say that?" he asked curiously.

"Because it's all kinds of fun to make what you love surrender to you" she grinned. Darien was thinking that it would be the sweetest kind of surrender to submit to her, but he shoved the thoughts out of his mind. Someone knocked at the door, and Darien got up to answer it. A brown haired bellboy wheeled in the cart and Darien handed the boy a few bills, and then closed the door behind him. Darien wheeled the cart over to the couch. He sat down besides her, rubbed his hands together, grinned at her, and pulled off the silver dome covers. 

                                                     ****

Dinner had been superb. The white grape juice that Darien had ordered was the perfect end to the meal. She didn't like alcohol in any kind, she'd had some bad experiences with it when she was younger, and eager to destroy Hack's record, she'd been damn close to, but she'd passed out, she'd had an obvious weight disadvantage, not to mention height, Hack was almost 5'10, and she was a military officer now, but even in her youth she'd been a well build girl, she'd been in every sport, in every thing that involved strength. Were as Serena was a slender throw back to some dainty medieval lady who could do nothing for herself. She sighed.

"I didn't think you'd like grape juice." He mused. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Because I'm Hack's sister?" she offered.

"Partly, that and you're a hell kitten!" he told her with a wolfish grin on his face.

"I am not a hell kitten…I don't even know what a hell kitten is!" She admitted. "To be honest I'm just a weak little girl, who was meant to raise kids, and faint from the 'vapors'" she sighed. And he burst out laughing.

"A hell kitten is someone who's reckless but doesn't look it," he told her. "And believe me you, you fit that bill, and you weak? I doubt that very much, how many women do you know who have hit a convicted rapist with a book? Not to mention you faced me off mad, not a lot of grown men would dare." He told her looking her straight in the eye. "If you ask me your one brave woman." 

"You weren't that mad…"

"Your joking right? I could have hurt you…a lot worse" he clenched his jaw; he was still guilty. 

"You didn't hurt me, for god sakes even you think I'm going to break if you don't handle me like glass!" she raged. "You would get along perfectly with Hack, and Andrew!" she threw her arms up the air.

"Why do you say that?" he asked curiously, finding her ire adorable, she was like a kitten, but she wasn't without her claws.

"Because Hack use to beat girls up all the time, and Andrew use to beat Hack up, but when it came to me I was much too 'delicate' for such games, heck if it wasn't for Sammy I'd never have gotten any scars!" She told him angrily. 

"And let me guess he's out grown you?" he said stifling a laugh.

"Don't laugh! It's not funny! My kid brother is 5'8 now, and he can pick me up and throw me across a room." She said disgusted. He laughed as he reached over and picked her up and moved her to his lap.

"Honey it isn't hard to pick you up, your like a little porcelain doll." She stared straight into his eyes, and he suddenly wished he hadn't just done that. But he didn't want to move her either. Her sweet scent, and her delicateness filled him, the oddest form of possession came over him, and the thought that anyone else could touch her was almost enough to make him homicidal. She was his, his mind and body declared, he reached up and caught her pretty face in his hands, he pulled her down to his mouth, and hungrily explored it, with breathless tenderness. She trembled because she hadn't expected that, every time he'd kissed her so far, he'd plundered her mouth, but now he was tender and gentle. Suddenly he pulled away from her, and moved her off his lap. He was highly aroused and her touch was making him want her again, but she was still sore he couldn't hurt her again. He put his head in hands, as his body tortured him.

"Darien…" She asked him uncertainly.

"I seem to like hurting myself," he told her looking up. "That wasn't a very bright idea, if I do that again I'm pretty sure I'll have to kill myself to stop." He told her with an odd little smile.

"Why did you stop?" she asked him. He looked up at her, and took a deep harsh breath. 

"Because it's too soon, if I didn't hurt you bad before, I'll do it this time." All the muscles in his upper body seemed to have tensed up. 

"Does it hurt?" she asked suddenly, he turned to look at her.

"What?" 

"Does it hurt right now?" she asked him, he looked her in the eye and nodded. His fists were balled up, and he looked violent, he took a few deep breaths, before he cracked his neck. She jumped at the sound. 

"Sorry" he mumbled. "My neck's tensed up." 

"Your all tensed up," she pointed out.

"Serves me right for being an idiot, I think we better go pack up," he told her gently, because her closeness was making him ache all over. He stood up and took her hands in his, and pulled her up off the couch, then turned her towards her room, and headed of to his own. Serena walked to her room, her heart breaking, he'd pulled away from her, both physically and emotionally, he didn't want her near; he just wanted her. She clenched her teeth, and wonder vaguely if he even wanted her at all, if she wasn't just a replacement. She pushed the thought from her mind, it wasn't like Ami even looked like her, she was going insane. 

                                                        ****

Darien spent most of the night tossing and turning, wishing Serena was with him, but knowing that it was a stupid idea. 

By the time it was morning he was in pure hell, he was tired, tussled looking, with big dark circles under his eyes. And few fine lines. She'd managed to get under his skin, set him on fire, and he wanted more, he was a damned fool and he knew it but god she was the sweetest torment. He walked out into the shower, turned it on and froze himself. The cool water ran down his back, his chest, he pushed his hands through his wet hair, he hadn't bothered to close the door, and if he'd been looking through the translucent shower curtain he'd have been able to see Serena watching him. She watched him with her heart in her eyes; he was perfect, masculine and beautiful. She leaned against the door jam, watching him shamelessly. As if he could feel her silent reverie he turned and looked out through the shower curtain. He brushed it back, and looked out at her.

"Like what you see?" He asked her with a mischievous little grin. She smiled up at him and arched and eyebrow. And nodded her head. He grinned evilly as he got out of the shower soaked, Serena stared shocked at him, and took a step back, but he reached out and caught her. "Uh-ah, no way baby, you're not going anywhere," he told her with a look which was pure predator desire. She looked at his perfect body and swallowed.

"No wonder…" she whispered.

"No wonder?" he asked slightly confused. She just shook her head, as she caught his face and moved it down to her mouth. She plundered it, she nipped his lower lip to part his mouth, and then she pushed her tongue in, tangling it with his. He lifted her up, and crushed her mouth with his, tasting her. She trembled a little being pressed into him, he was soaking wet as well as the front of her shirt. "I've got to get you out of that shirt" he bit off harshly, as he put her down, he pulled her shirt off. All she'd had on was the tee shirt and her underwear, which he took off. He picked her fully of the ground, and took her to the shower. His mind was protesting, but his body wasn't listening.

He had her pressed against the wall, kissing the breath out of her, when he heard the phone go off. He groaned as he decided to ignore it, and dropped his head to her breast and took it in his mouth. He teased and tempted her, she was shivering with desire, but still the blasted phone wouldn't stop ringing. Finally he gave up, and pulled away from her, took one last fleeting look at her pinned against the wall, and grinned wolfishly. He walked out of the shower grabbing a towel on the way out. Who ever was on the phone was going to get an earful.

Darien could have screamed when he answered the phone to hear Francesca's nagging voice. 

"How did you get this number?" he barked at her, utterly infuriated.

"Aren't you happy to hear from me?" she said in a terrible travesty of sweetness. He almost gagged.

"No I'm not."

"Testy, testy, what are you up to this weekend?" she asked skating over his statement.

"What does it matter your not invited!" he told her point blank.

"I thought we had plans…"

"Are you daft? I thought I made it clear 2 weeks ago when you and Ami got into that fight, I don't want to see you…"

"11 days, not 2 weeks…" she mumbled. Darien was stunned, lost for words, completely down for the count. She knew exactly how long it had been since the fight, exactly, why would she remember something like that?

"Your keeping count?" he asked after a long pause, not even trying to keep the indignation out of his voice.

"I want you, damn it! Do you want me to beg on my knees? I want you, and I know you want me too!" She howled at him angrily. 

"Now that's where your wrong, I don't want you, stop pestering me Frankie." And with that he hung up the phone. Francesca stared at it, tears staining her pretty face, she loved Darien, she'd fallen for him head first, they'd had a good relationship, she was sure with more time she could have made him love her, she wiped her eyes, she still could. She got whatever she wanted and she wanted Darien Volpe.

With a deep shutter of disgust Darien unplugged the phone, and headed back for the bathroom, with dark intent gleaming in his eyes, no he didn't want Francesca, he was too busy needing Serena.

                                                             ****

After they'd made love in the washroom, after they'd checked out of the hotel, and moved back into the apartment, after Darien had made love to Serena on the couch, after he'd shown her all the new improvements, including fiber glass windows, and the motion sensors, after she'd proved him wrong about the lock in the play room, and after he'd left for work, Serena lay on her bed, feeling as if she was on cloud nine. She ran a finger over her swollen lips and grinned; every time they'd been together they'd hit new levels, every time he touched her it was like being shocked, all the passion and the desire pooling to her lower belly. She sighed, as she pushed her head into her pillow, what made it so much more was that she loved him, she'd spent most of the previous night thinking about it, making damnably sure, and she was. It was new, just like everything else between them, and exciting, but it was young and fresh and easily wounded, as she'd soon find out.

The phone rang, and she went to answer it. A very seductive female voice that Serena didn't know was on the other line. 

Francesca grinned with utter delight as she heard the female voice, this had to be the reason Darien didn't want her anymore, oh but she wouldn't be anymore.

                                                              ****

Darien blissfully unaware of what was going on; was on cloud nine himself. He'd never felt like that with anyone else, she made him tremble with a look; she made him want more and more, no matter how long he was with her, he knew he'd never get tired of her. She made him feel all man, in every way, and all this from a virgin, he could have laughed at the irony. But the truth was he was smitten with her completely and wholly, but he still didn't know how far these new feelings went, and he was still too weary to find out. He didn't want to get hurt again, but he didn't want to hold out on her either. Still he couldn't keep the smile off of his face.

"Looks like somebody got lucky…" Malcolm said as he walked into Darien's office. Darien looked up and glared at the big man, who simply chuckled. "You liiike her, you want to kiiiss her, marry and have kiiids with her." He said playfully taking a seat in front of Darien. He'd seemed more relaxed since Ami had gotten back, but he seemed dark and miserable as well, probably because he may have liked Ami, but with Mina it was something completely different. 

"Umm, I like her alright, I like kissing her, but marry…" He said shrugging his shoulders, even though the idea of being married to her wasn't freaking him out as it should have, instead he liked the idea of it being illegal for her to be with anyone else. And the idea of her carrying his children wasn't disturbing in that he didn't want it, he wanted it a little to much for his own liking. But still he smiled; nothing could ruin his mood.

"Your really smitten aren't you?" he said looking into Darien's eyes.

"Yah, I know this sounds stupid but she completes me…. it's never been like this…" he told Malcolm slightly awkwardly.

"I know that feeling, do yourself a favor and don't let go of it, no matter what." He sighed wistfully. 

"Mina meant a lot to you didn't she?" Darien said perceptively.

"A lot more than she even knew" he sighed.

"Well you might have told her." 

"I thought she was a gold-digger, I'm not exactly the shiniest penny in the pond, and I am a good 5 years older than her, plus I was a holy terror in those days, god nothing added up, I couldn't see why a bomb shell like her wanted to be any where near me, so I kept how I felt to myself." He looked haunted "Now I'll never know how she felt"

"Your too self-conscious, I remember you in those days, you weren't as horrible as you seem to think, after Melanie died right?"

"Ah Mel, I haven't thought about her since…since Mina," he shuttered a little. Melanie had been Malcolm's fiancé she'd left him for Yaten and when he turned her down, she'd gone out gotten drunk and driven off a bridge. "I hated Mel, because I thought I loved her, that is until Mina walked into my life, now nothing compares to her." He looked into Darien's eyes a hint of something dark burnt there. Malcolm hadn't had an easy life and Mel's apparent love for him had been almost a shock to him. And when she'd left him for his half-brother, it had nearly ripped him to shreds even though Yaten didn't want her. Suddenly Malcolm had come up with a fantastical idea that he wasn't good enough for love that he was ugly, and unattractive, but then Mina had entered his life and made him see who he really was. He still thought of himself as ugly, but he knew better than to care what anyone else thought.

"And still to this day you think you've got nothing to offer anyone." Darien said shaking his head.

"I did once, I had a wedding ring in my pocket the night I made love to her, I didn't care if she was a gold-digger then, but god, she ran away from me, she didn't even look back…" he clenched his jaw. "And I was stupid enough to let her go." He sighed and Darien suddenly felt sorry for Malcolm, nothing ever seemed to go right for him romantically, but then it didn't for Darien either, except with Serena, he'd make sure it would go right, the idea of marrying her was growing on him. "But enough about the past, you can't live in it, as you can't love in it, Serena means a lot to you doesn't she?" he asked.

"I don't know, I want to protect her, and the idea that someone else might touch her makes me…"

"Homicidal?" he offered. Darien grinned.

"I care for her, but…" Before he could finish his statement the door flew open and Jaden walked in.

"You might want to see this" Jaden told them both he had the oddest combination of shock, and amusement on his face. Both men got up from the desk and rushed out the door, to find Zoey holding a book in his left hand, a stapler by his leg and a odd imprint on his forehead, while Ami had the out-put box in her hand and was screaming at him.

"…I hate you!!" she screamed, as she threw the box at his head.

"Stop throwing things at me!" he said ducking the box as it hit one of the other secretary's in the face. He made to move towards her, but she picked up the in-put box and held it threateningly over her head. 

"You come near me and I'll threw this at you!"

"What haven't you thrown at me yet?" He asked her incredulously. She glared at him as she threw it hitting him square in the neck, then she reached over and grabbed the whole puncher and threw that at him too.

"I loathe you, I wish I never had to see your-" she threw a dictionary at him, "hideous-" she picked up her empty coffee mug and threw it missing him but sending a fountain of broken pottery all over the room, "vile-" she picked up a vase and aimed it for his chest, he caught the vase but threw it down furiously, "face!!" She picked up her electric sharpener, but he was too quick he grabbed it from her hands and slammed it down, then caught her arms and wrestled them behind her back. She kicked him in the shin, as she fought to get her arms free, he swore and moved his leg back but he held her in place, tightening his grip on her wrists.

"Would you calm down?" He yelled at her. She lunged forward and made a furious attempt to bite him, but he caught her before she got a chance and moved her back roughly. "If you bite me I'll bite you back!" he warned angrily.

"Just try it," she said violently fighting him, yet she didn't want to hurt him, damn her for being so madly in love with him. She drove one of her shoulders into his stomach, or she tried to but he released her wrists and caught her mid lunge and threw her over his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. She fought and kicked, not liking being held by him, however impersonally, violently he carried her to Darien's office and slammed the door behind him, his lower lip was bleeding. 

"What was that all about?" Darien asked to no one in particular.

"Uh, well Zoey and her were talking apparently, and the next thing you know she threw a stapler at him." Zoey's secretary informed him.

"Yah that's about where I came in." Jaden said, and Nathan nodded.

"Does anyone know why she threw the stapler?" Malcolm asked, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice.

"No, all I saw was her picking it up and throwing it, it him square in the head." Malcolm's secretary said. 

"Well what happened next?" Darien asked.

"Well he said something like 'did you just throw a stapler at me?' and she said 'want a book to complete the collection?' and then she threw one at him, but he caught it." Jaden's secretary answered. Darien just shook his head; as he opened his office door barely miss a can of ice tea that was sent soaring out. He walked in and slammed the door behind him, which went completely unnoticed. Ami had a glass dish in her hand, and Zoey had a new imprint on his face. 

"I told you not to touch me!" she howled picking it up.

"I was getting you out of the corridor before you killed someone!" he yelled back.

"Like you? Don't mind if I do!" She said throwing the dish at him, he ducked it and it shattered on the wall.

"Would you two love birds stop!" he barked furiously, because that dish had been a present from the landlady he'd had when he'd first moved out on his own, she was long dead. They stopped dead were they where, Ami behind the desk and Zoey by the wall. Darien's eyes gleamed dangerously. "Take a seat both of you." He commanded and they both obeyed, sitting by each other without even noticing, Darien looked ready to rip both their heads off. He took a deep breath, as he walked to his desk and sat behind it. "Now what happened?"

They both answered at the same time; a rush of words and phrases, pointing and gestures tumbled out, so that it was all incoherent gibberish. Darien pounded his fist down as he barked for them to shut up. 

"One at a time! Ami, you go first." He said nodding curtly towards her. She trembled slightly, because Darien was immensely threatening like this.

"Well…he…uh, he came in to talk to you, and I said you were in a meeting with Malcolm, and then he said to buzz him in, and I said that you said you didn't want to be disturbed…"

"I never said that." Darien interrupted, triumph crossed Zoey's face as looked over at her with arched eyebrows.

"I knew it! I knew you just wanted to spite me…" Zoey said accusingly the glee just oozing of his voice.

"Zoey!" Darien warned. The 26- almost-27-year-old man, looked down hard at his hands. It was almost comical, as if the two were sitting in front of a principal instead of their boss. "Why did you lie Ami?" Darien asked her

"Uh…well…I…ok I wanted to spite him, and then he said that you wouldn't mind, and I said it wasn't for me to decide, and then he was…. being Zoey, so I got mad and threw a stapler at him." She told him looking down at her feet. 

"Being Zoey?" Darien asked even though he knew full well what she meant.

"Well he started hitting on me…." She let her sentence trail; it was a good thing neither of them was looking at Darien because he was fighting back laughter. He cleared his throat sounding very principally indeed. 

"Alright your version?" He said curtly to Zoey. 

"Well I came to talk to you, and she wouldn't let me in, I knew she was just trying to annoy me, so I decided to annoy her back, and then she threw a stapler at me…" He said simply, this time Darien couldn't keep the laughter at bay he burst out laughing, they both looked up at him, he couldn't stop for a full minute. And when he did his eyes were still filled with gaiety.

"God you kids," he said shaking his head.

"So let me get this straight, he kissed you and you didn't even hit him, he says he thinks you're hot and you threw a stapler at him?" Malcolm asked from behind her, fighting laughter. Her eyes widened as she looked accusingly at Zoey.

"You told them?" She squealed.

"No he didn't, we saw." Malcolm said. She turned to face him. 

"Malcolm…" she groaned angrily, as she placed her head in her hands. "I knew Darien knew, but…." She took a deep breath "does everybody know?" she asked miserably. 

"Just the boys, no one else I promise" Malcolm told her, that was a relieve, even if the boys saw no one would say anything to her, but if any of the other secretaries found out. She took a deep steadying breath refusing to think about the possibility. She'd already made quite the scene and if they knew she'd kiss him just before she'd left…wouldn't that make an interesting story 'she kissed him good-bye and threw a stapler at him when she came back.' 

"I'm sorry I threw a stapler at you, and I'm sorry I broke your plate Darien…I think I should just leave." She mumbled to her feet.

"Leave as in quit?" Malcolm asked seeing the little flash in her eyes.

"Yes," she ground out. "Look all I do is cause trouble…"

"Your joking right?" Darien cut her off, completely stunned. "Look Ami your one of the best people on my staff, you work harder than you ought to, and if Zoey really is the problem I'll just fire him." He said simply. Zoey looked up wide-eyed.

"What?!" he barked.

"Don't you dare, you're the best in you field, and we'd miss you, but all you do is sit on your butt and hit on anything that's female, and cause annoyances, you do your work last minute but it's still the best in the business. But I'm getting tired of this, so I'll make you both a deal" Darien said easily, even though his eyes were glistening dangerously. "If you two can learn to become friends, learn to stop causing kamikaze in my office, and in my building, I won't make you pay for the damages." 

"I'd rather pay for the damages!" Ami yelled out, she turned and pinned Zoey with a totally disgusted look. "I will not make 'nice-nice' with that!"

"Ami, that glass plate you broke was of high sentimental value, it was insured for over half a million dollars…." He told her, Ami felt the ground fall from under her she couldn't pay Darien back, and she couldn't be alone with Zoey, at least not unarmed, but he was the leaser of two evils.

"Fine, I'll do…. but no funny business" She said pointedly to Zoey.

"Why do I have to do it? I didn't do anything wrong!" Zoey said defiantly.

"No? Okay than you can go to work place sensitivity classes instead." Darien told him pleasantly.

"What?" he looked absolutely sickened.

"So you can learn to stop annoying people…" Darien continued

"She annoyed me first!"

"Zoey shut up, you provoked her! Look either you try to become friends with Ami, or you go to sensitivity classes, I hear they have retreats to get in touch with your feminine side." He mused. Zoey's eyes widened in horror.

"I…I can get in touch with my feminine side!" He said defiantly, even though the idea obviously appalled him.

"Pottery" Darien said.

"Poetry" Malcolm added

"Knitting," Darien grinned.

"Sharing circle," Malcolm said with a pleasant smile. 

" I can do that!" He said firmly.

"Plays." Darien added to their list.

"I hear it's the Vagina Monologues this year…" Malcolm told Darien.

"Alright, alright all do it!" He said slamming his fist down on the table. Darien and Malcolm both stifled a laugh, and didn't dare look at each other. It was extremely amusing how two people who liked each other as much as Ami and Zoey could resist so badly, getting to know each other. So what if the blasted plate was only insured for couple hundred dollars? And so what if the classes didn't really have retreats? So maybe Darien and Malcolm were just pushing them together it wasn't that evil right? Besides if they left the two lovebirds to their own devices it would take them a few thousand years to give in to each other.  

"Good, good, you've got 2 months starting next week, and if you still hate each other at the end of this, well then your both going to sensitivity classes, and one of you will be leaving? Get it? Got it? Good!" No matter how much they pretended to hate each other, the idea that one of them might be leaving was horrifying to them, so they'd do it. He knew deep down they wanted to anyways, but now they had an excuse to, one that didn't require either one of them to compromise their pride or their stubbornness. They where like Sugar and spice, Fire and Ice, Salt and pepper, they complemented each other even as the fought like cats and dogs. They nodded their heads, got up and left. 

"Half a million dollars?" Malcolm asked incredulously.

"Vagina Monologues? Darien asked matching his tone. They smiled secretively to each other; Darien gave them under a week once it started, for Zoey to sweep Ami of her feet. Malcolm not quite as hopeful said 2 weeks. The grinned evilly at each other, this was going to be interesting if nothing else.

                                                            ****

The rest of the day was uneventful, and boring. Darien spent most of it dreaming up what he was going to do when he got home. He was restless, and he wanted to be with Serena, Ayane would be sleeping over at Rei's house for the second night in a row, which meant he had the house to himself.  He seemed so preoccupied that the boys (minus Zoey who was equally preoccupied) locked him in his office to do paper work all day. Not that he cared, he wanted to get out, the idea of going home to Serena was tantalizing.

He finished signing the last of the contracts, and called Gus who said he'd pick him up in 15 minutes. He would have left had he not heard the beep of his intercom. 

"Yes Ami?"

"Your sister's on line 1, sir"

"Thanks" he pressed the button, and actually grimaced, he wanted to go!! He loved his sister and everything but boy did she have bad timing. "Hi Rei."

"Hi Darien," he voice sounded odd and strained.

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"I need you to take care of the girls tonight." She told him.

"What? Why?" He could see his plans going up in smoke, he almost laughed at himself, since when had taking care of his daughter and niece been a bad thing? Since he couldn't keep his hands off Serena…

"I…uh…I nearly miscarried tonight, I need total bed rest, and I don't want Jaden to look after the kids all by himself, and you've got a nanny so…" She mumbled. Darien's heart twisted painfully, he was being a selfish ass, and he knew it, but he was still hopelessly disappointed.

"Of course I'll take care of them, are you okay though?" he asked gently, wanting to shoot himself in the foot for being so inconsiderate.

"Yah I'll be fine…It's just…. a little scary." She admitted.

"I'll have Gus pick them up as soon as I get home, take care of yourself Rei you're the only Sissy I've got" He said, he loved his sister very much, and the idea of her being in any kind of harm was too much for him to bear.

"Alright, Kasumi knows Gus so that should be okay, I'll be fine Dawwy" He smiled, she hadn't called him that in a long time, it was her childhood name for Darien; as a child she couldn't pronounce 'R's and his name had been to long for her liking.

"Love yah" he said, still feeling like dirt.

"Love you too." With that she hung up, and Darien sighed, maybe he could just sleep with Serena? Because god knew even holding her was heaven.

                                                       ****

**_2 hours earlier_**

****

Serena had cried all her tears, screamed all her anger, now she was just numb. He didn't want her, he wanted someone else, but she hadn't wanted him, now she did, So Serena was useless. She couldn't cry anymore, so she assessed the damage. She was in love, because in spite of everything else she still wanted to protect him, still cared. She pushed these thoughts out of her mind quickly. They'd been intimate…3 times…she closed her eyes to tears she'd thought she'd spent. So she passed these thoughts too. Darien wanted this woman who ever she was, that hurt to admit. But sleeping with a virgin usually meant marrying them, at least it did to men like Darien, and sooner or later it would occur to him. She loved him but she wasn't about to force him into a marriage he didn't want, nor was she willing to be his mistress. The idea of sharing Darien was way too painful, so there was only one solution. She had to leave.

Her mother wasn't keeping well, and her brother and his wife were too busy and not to mention under financed to take care of her. Her brother's finances were being eaten up by the expenses of his bars and restaurants, he wasn't making enough back, and besides even though Irene was in relatively good shape, even the slightest thing could push her over the edge. And if anything happened to her Sammy would be in a real mess, no one would be able to take care of him, Andrew and June were too involved in their own lives to be able to, Hack moved from base to base, and she herself had no stable income. She'd go home, she decided; take care of her mother and brother. 

She quickly penned a note to Darien, saying she was leaving and that Francesca had called, she gritted her teeth as she wrote down the name. Then she called her overtly pleased mother, then cashed in all her air miles for a flight back to Texas later that same day. She rushed through packing her stuff up, if she lingered she'd lose her nerve. And then finally she called a cab. She locked up the house, and swore the doormen to secrecy. And walked out of Darien's life forever. Or so she thought.

                                                       ****

Darien crushed the note in his hand as if it was Francesca's neck. Oh he knew, he knew that her mother being sick was just an excuse for her to leave, he knew who's doing this had really been. He read the note over again in blind fury.

Dear Mr. Volpe 

_My mother is ill and I'm going home to take care of her, I don't think I'll be coming back. I'm sorry I couldn't give you two weeks notice. I'll mail you my key, as I needed it to lock up, there's dinner in the oven, and a Ms. Francesca Frederica called, she was very adamant that I give you the message. _

_Please tell Ayane that I love her very much and I'll miss her. I'll have my address changed back to my mom's once I get home, but it shouldn't be a problem since I don't get any mail. Sorry for the inconvenience._

_Sincerely_

_Serena Lane._

****

Sorry for the inconvenience, what was he a tool for her to experiment with? He gritted his teeth, this was obviously Francesca's fault but Serena hadn't even given him a chance to explain, she'd taken Francesca's word at face value. And why? Because she thought Darien was a player, she thought he was heartless enough to use her. She thought he'd be relieved that she was leaving, and just let her go, and he had half a mind to do it! His pride demanded it! But something deeper than pride, something he refused to name demanded that she went after her, made her understand. But begging didn't come very naturally to him, and he'd never beg her to come back to him, but the prospect of never seeing Serena, of never kissing her were almost painful. But what was he going to do? Follow her to Red Brook, then what? Knock on every damn door until he found her? The sad part was that he'd do it…

Ayane's voice interrupted his thoughts, the little girl ran into his arms the minute she walked in. He picked her up and pulled her close.

"Daddy! I missed you!" she said clinging to him. 

"I missed you too baby." He grinned even though he felt more like screaming.

"Where's Serena?" She asked. Darien swallowed he knew this was going to be awkward.

"Her mom's sick, so she has to go take care of her, do you mind if it's just you, me and Kasumi tonight?" he asked her gently. The little girls face was a veritable cornucopia of expression. But in the end she just grinned.

"That depends can you play dolls?" She asked arching an eyebrow.

"I can't dress them, my hands are too big I'll break something." He admitted sheepishly.

"That's ok, but you got to play promise?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"I swear," he said crossing his heart. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, he had his daughter, life could have been worse, but even as he thought it he knew he was going to follow Serena. He was addicted to her; the very idea of never kissing her was like being told he had a week left to live.  But tonight he wasn't going to think about that, tonight he was going to play Barbie with his little girl and niece, and damn it he was going to have fun if it killed him.

Somewhere overhead flying away from Darien, Serena was looking out of her window. Her heart was heavy as she tried to stop thinking about him, but she knew it was pointless, besides she had her whole life to forget about him, one night of remembering couldn't be that bad. She closed her eyes allowing herself to think about him. She knew then that she'd never let another man touch her, logically it was preposterous, but her heart knew it to be gospel truth. She still loved him, still cared even after all that. She swallowed back tears that she'd thought were gone, at least she'd have the memories to live on, a small crumb of loving that she could grow old on. She sighed miserably, as she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, she had a big day ahead of her once she got to Texas, home, even if it felt more like she was leaving home…

(A/n: *ducks flying tomatoes* Sorry I did it again another cliffy!![well sorta] Okay I'm sorry that it took so long for this chapter, but this is my first sex scene ever so ya…please be kind I worked really hard on this, and so please review! Anyway thanks for all your previous reviews, and if you want to be on my mailing list EMAIL ME don't send it in a review! Further more if you have requested before in a review, it's probably been ignored [I'm sorry there just to many reviews for me to sort through] {*giggles insanely at the number of Reviews*} If you guys don't like the sex scene I might just quit writing romances…SO REVIEW!! [Remember I get a penny for every review, dudes come on I'm HUNGRY!!!] ^_~ )

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	9. chapter seven

Chapter Seven 

****

She's floating, the water around her is tepid, their her own tears, they taste like honey. She stares around, her heart in her throat, and there he is, staring at her intently, his beautiful eyes boring into hers, as he suddenly changes into a cat, a very big cat. He growls at her, as he moves delicately.He purrs out her name over and over like a crazy little chant. "No.please leave me alone." She begs, but he doesn't hear her, he stalks her around the pool, and the liquid turns red, blood red then he pounces, "NOOO!!" she screams, feeling the earth fall from under her, as she falls into her tears.

Serena woke with a little start, hitting her head against the headboard. It took her a minute to remember where she was, her old room, in her old house, with her old life. She sighed depressed, she'd only been home a day and she was already miserable. She curled up and tried to go back to sleep, which she would have succeeded at had there not been a rapping on her door. 

"Go away!" She yelled through the door.

"Now that's not very nice, I haven't seen you in months and that's all I get?" Her little brother's deceptively deep voice called through the door. She decided she wasn't going to sleep anyways, so she might as well let him in. 

"Come in if you must" She sighed helplessly. The door slid open, and a medium height, slightly well built blond haired boy walked in. He didn't look twelve, he, like everyone else in the Lane family, had inherited the age defying genes. He looked older now, but when he was 30 he'd look younger. 

"You look like death." He said giving her a quick once over.

"Ha-ha your very funny, funny enough to get a pillow in the face if you're not careful!" She threatened. 

"I'm so terrified, no, no, really I'm scared out of my wits, watch me shake." He said sarcastically. Serena threw the pillow at him, and it hit him in chest. "I see you still can't aim to save your life." 

"You just wait till I wake up, then oh then your going to be crying for mom!" 

"You couldn't hurt me even if I tied my arms behind my back and gave you a stinking bat!" He said with a scornful little grin.

"Is it aluminum? Because I think I could do some damage with that." She asked pleasantly. He threw his arms up in air, and walked out of her room.

"You obviously need your coffee, see you at breakfast." He moved safely out of view as he muttered, "Barbie" She gritted her teeth as she threw a pillow out the door, hoping to hit him. She absolutely HATED being called Barbie, because it was used to refer to the fact that she was diminutive, and delicate. And girly, her siblings had loved tormenting her on her attention to her features. Well La Dee Dah!  So she didn't want to look like an ogre, so what? She sighed, rolling over, and trying to get some sleep, she wondered if Darien was having as much 'fun' as she was.

                                                              ****

In fact he was, he hadn't been able to sleep all night. All he could think about was how much he wanted to kill Francesca for what ever she'd said, and how much more he wanted to scream at Serena for believing her. He missed her, damn him, he missed her scent, her mouth, her soft body. He gritted his teeth together, as he refused to remember all the other things he missed about her, like her laugh, her voice, her humor, her ire.. damn it!! He tried to make himself think he only wanted her physically, but his heart was laughing at him, no he wanted more than that, but he refused to accept it. No!! He couldn't possibly be feeling what he thought he was, he couldn't be falling for her. He didn't have a heart since Valessa had ripped it out, well most of it, maybe there was a little left, the part that loved his family, but not the part that could accept someone who could walk away. Not the part that could truly love another. He wanted her, that was a given, maybe he cared about her, but he couldn't possibly.but then why was he dying inside? He screamed into his pillow. God he needed a drink.. a nice long one, with a few shots of vodka.. he put his head in his hands, 'Drinking never solved anything, drinking never solved anything, DRINKING NEVER SOLVED ANYTHING!' he told himself firmly. 

He heard the door creak open; he looked over and saw Ayane standing just outside of it.

"What is it honey?" he asked forcing his voice to come out calm, even though he wanted to drop to the floor and have a tantrum. 

"I had a bad dream." She muttered to her feet. 

"Want to come sleep with me?" He asked her gently. She looked up and nodded, even though she looked utterly shamefaced. "Come in then" She walked over towards the bed, and Darien picked her up and placed her beside him. He tucked her in, before getting comfortable himself. "Are you warm?" 

"Yup" she muttered.

"Good now get some sleep." He said as he hugged her close. He went back to sleep, some how having Ayane with him made him sleep better, his dreams of strangling Francesca were replaced with more pleasant ones of sunny skies and pink flowers, Ayane definitely had a calming influence on him. He was awakened by another knock on the door; he opened his eyes half asleep, and went to answer the door. Standing before him with tears in her eyes was Kasumi. "Bad dream?" he asked, to which she nodded her head. "Want to sleep with me and Ayane?" He didn't have to ask he already knew the answer. She nodded her head, and he picked her up, and took her to the bed. Oh hell Ayane was already there what difference did it make if another little girl was in there?

When Darien had finally gotten back to sleep, with both the little girls in his arms, with the room at perfect temperature, his mind cleared of all thoughts beside sleep, when he'd finally fallen into a deep sleep, the phone rang. He swore to himself as he got up, walked out of the room, and answered the phone in Serena's room, **_old _**room. He gritted his teeth, as he picked up the phone. He hadn't wanted to wake up the girls, especially not to his yelling, because who ever was on the phone was going to get it.

"Hello?" his voice shaking in subdued anger.

"Darien." Francesca's voice said surprised, she hadn't expected him to answer; she'd only wanted to hear his answering machine, to hear his deep voice, which in person was a little scary, even if it was exciting.

"Francesca, do you own a watch?" he growled.

"Well."

"You know what I don't even care, what I'd really like to know is if you have a lawyer?" All his anger was building up; he was going to kill her! But his voice had suddenly taken on a plaintive tone.

"Well yes.why?" she asked confused even as her slightly disturbed mind grasped at crazy ideas, 'lawyers made excellent witnesses for marriage.'

"Good, I'd like you to give him a call, and tell him to make sure your will is in order, because I'm going to kill you." He said to her so calmly, it took a moment to register. 

"W.what?" she stammered.

"You've ruined my sleep, my day, my life, but do you know what pushed you over the edge for the craziest bitch I've ever known?" He asked her in the same calm, slightly scary tone as before.

"I."

"The fact that you seem to still think that even though you've screwed up everything, that even though I hate you, that even though you're the single most insane woman I know, that I want you." His tone was scary; his grip on the phone was vise like even as his tone stayed precisely the same. "Let me, let you in on a little secret Francesca, I wouldn't want you if you were the last woman on the planet, in fact if you were the last woman on the planet one of two things would happen, mass suicide or mass homosexuality!"  He yelled at her, his voice finally breaking out of the icy calm it had been in. 

"You don't mean that." she gasped out in shock.

"If it was a choice between you and certain death, I'd take certain death with a smile on my face!" 

"You."

"Now stop calling me, emailing me, bothering me, and stalking me! Or I'll get a damn restraining order against you! Do you understand me?" he barked at her.

"I've never stalked you!" she yelled back at him, Darien was actually lost for words, of all the things she could have said, of all the things he'd expected, that was not on the list. "Why are you doing this to me Darien, I love you, I though we had something special." He was almost down for the loop at that.

"You need professional help! You don't even know what love is! Special? Hell woman I hate you!" 

"NO! I love you, you can't do this, you know you don't mean it!" she sobbed.

"Oh but I do! Go find some other rich bastard to wrap around your finger!" he slammed the phone down before she could say anymore. He was stunned; the crazy witch thought she loved him, thought they had something special. Well he had news for her; the only thing special they had was that for the first time in his entire life, he felt like beating the hell out of a woman. And boy was she ever lucky she was a woman. A snake of a woman, a horrible excuse for a human being.nothing like Serena.he gritted his teeth together banishing his thoughts. Then walked off to bed, everything looked better in the morning.and a little Irish coffee never hurt.

                                                              ****

Work was murder, never mind the fact that Ami was babysitting his daughter, and Mina was back. Just the sight of the woman who looked so much like Serena was enough to make him extremely violent. He tried not to snap at her, but it was become extremely hard, so he locked himself in his office for the rest of the day; that is until Malcolm picked the lock.

"You know I could make you pay for that lock" Darien said slightly irritated, in all honesty he was a little glad for the company.

"So any particular reason you reduced me to having to borrow a hair pin?" He asked with dry humor.

"Serena left."

"What?" he asked stunned.

"She left, packed up her stuff and ran, smart girl wouldn't you say? She got what she wanted an experienced guinea pig to experiment with, well I'm fine with that."

"You're such a liar."

"Alright maybe I'm not fine with that, but not for the same reasons that you think, I don't like being used."

"Cut the bullshit Darien, that might work on anyone else but not me, I know what it feels like, damn it you think it was easy when Mina ran?"

"No I know it wasn't! But god I can't." 

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because she's young and beautiful, and she shouldn't be tied down to an old."

"That's not the reason, come on Darien."

"Damn it that is the reason."

"Stop lying to yourself Darien, come on why can't you be in.."

"Don't say it."

"Love!"  Malcolm announced angrily. "Because your heart's made of stone? You listen to me you pigheaded idiot, don't let her walk out of your life, you'll regret it for the rest of your miserable life, which it will be with out her! You'll feel incomplete, alone and dead on your feet. You'll wish to god someone just shot you and ended your misery, and you'll go from bottle to bottle trying to drown her out, but for every bottle she'll become only more prominent!" 

"You're calling me pigheaded? She's right outside my door, why don't you go complete your damn life? Go on tell me why you haven't swept her off her feet and shown her how much you love her? Or have you been too busy consoling yourself with other women?" He barked at Malcolm, whose eyes flashed dangerously.

"I've never let any other woman console me." He told Darien with out any of the rage that was in his eyes.

"What?" Darien stared completely shocked, was Malcolm really saying what he thought he was?

"I haven't been with anyone since Mina," He said calmly, his eyes were still flashing dangerously.

"Why not?" 

"Because I never wanted anyone after Mina, and I never will."

"So you expect me to believe you haven't had sex in 5 years?" he asked incredulously.

"No I don't, but it's the truth." He said shrugged his shoulders. "You're afraid to stay faithful to Serena aren't you? Fidelity isn't as difficult as it sounds, once you find the person who makes you whole" He said matter of factly.

"Why don't you go after her?" Darien asked Malcolm calmly, that statement had been humbling. Malcolm had hit the nail on the head, he'd been entertaining thoughts of marrying Serena, (until she'd ran) but the thought that he'd sleep with someone else and ruin everything was a little scary. Marriage always ended in infidelity in his experience, his parents, himself, everyone except for Rei and Jaden. 

"Because she doesn't deserve to be tied down to someone like me, she's young and I was just her first, it's obvious she got over me fast, considering her son." he muttered, a deep rooted pain was quite visible.

"Why did you let her go?"

"Because my pride got in the way, I'll never beg for anything in my life again, you remember what life was like before my father found me." He swallowed. 

"Yah I remember, your mother and mine lived in the same."

"Don't.I hate remembering those days."

"Don't we all.it kills you doesn't it?"

"What?"

"That Mina's not in your arms?"

"Yes it does, so don't make the same mistake I made, go after her."

"I won't beg her."

"Believe me Darien, going down on your knees to get her back is nothing compared to losing her."

"I won't beg her Malcolm, I did enough of that in my childhood, besides she doesn't even trust me, she believed Francesca over me."

"WHAT?!" Malcolm half yelled in shock, his eyes widened.

"Yah well it's a long story."

                                                           ****

The next few weeks went by slow, almost too unbearably slow for Serena; her heart broke more every day. She hadn't expected Darien to care, so why did her heart hurt so badly when he didn't? 

Life with her family wasn't bad; Sammy seemed to have sensed she needed comfort, because he'd been her only ally against her overbearing mother. Irene's deteriorating health was making her usually conservative nature down right medieval. And to add insult to injury, she was sick; her stomach turned at the very smell of chicken, she threw up almost everything she ate, and she was getting sickly skinny. 

After a week of unbearable sickness, Serena knew she had to go to the doctor. But she was mortified of going by herself. Serena hated clinics, and hospitals with a passion. Fortunately she didn't need to ask Sammy, he already knew she needed him to go. So together they went to Dr. Jennifer Baker, the very doctor who had delivered Serena. The waiting room almost made Serena bolt; had the sickness not been so miserable she might have. Finally after about 15 minutes, Dr. Baker was ready to see her. The kindly old nurse led her through a door, and behind a paper-thin room separator, Dr. Baker was already there waiting for her.

"Hey Serena, long time no see darling, what seems to be the trouble?" The gentle doctor asked her after giving her a big hug.

"About 4 years I'd say, I don't know what's wrong, I've been sick every morning since I came back from Boston, and I can't stand the smell of chicken." Serena told her nervously. 

"Darling, no need to be so terrified of the clinic, I know it was hard seeing your father die in one of these, but I promise you nothing like that has ever happened here." She told her giving her a hand a reassuring squeeze. Serena nodded her head. "Alright then, well back to your problem, how long has it been since you had a monthly?" She asked her calmly, that hit Serena hard; it occurred to her that she hadn't had one for at least the month and half that she'd been back. 

"Oh my god.I don't know.I haven't had one since I've been back." She said slightly horrified.

"How long would that be?" 

"About 6 weeks." She mumbled. The doctor called for the kindly old nurse to draw blood. "What do you think it is?" Serena asked after the nurse had left with her blood, she refused to believe it, it couldn't be.

"I think you're pregnant, but the test will let us know for sure."

"God." She sobbed placing her head in her hands, her mind was racing; the idea of being pregnant wasn't that scary, least of all if it was Darien's baby, but facing it alone was daunting. Because telling Darien would be a horrible mistake, he'd marry her, she knew it, but getting married for the sake of an unwanted child was horrible. Even if the child would never be unwanted to her. But she banished the thoughts, there was a good chance she wasn't, after all Darien wasn't exactly innocent he'd probably used protection, but it had happened so fast..

"Serena?" Dr. Baker's gentle voice pulled her out of her thoughts; the doctor's eyes were bright as well as the nurse who was smiling.

"Yes?"

"I have the results, you're pregnant." Serena's demeanor changed her eyes softened, and she developed an odd glow about her, perhaps it had always been there and she had just now realized it she didn't know. She placed a protective hand over her still flat belly. "Now Serena, there are still options." Serena looked up so fast she almost got whiplash, her eyes widened as she realized what the doctor was saying.

"No! I couldn't." She said shocked, "I.I love him, I can't kill his baby." She mumbled to her feet. 

"Well there is adoption."

"No, this is my baby.I can't give it away." She said with a weak smile.

"Alright well then may I suggest telling the father?" 

"I can't do that either, not now anyways." She said firmly.

"Very well, in any case, you're going to need to visit an obstetrician, I know a very good one, her name's Dr.June Langley."

"June Langley-Lane's my sister-in-law, I didn't know she was an obstetrician I thought she was a physical therapist." She said surprised. 

"Oh she was, but she was studying to be an obstetrician.I didn't know Andrew got married to her, I delivered that girl, how long?"

"3 years, they got married in Paris, and now they life in Austin."

"I'd hate to break it to you honey, but she's in Paris, she works at the Paris general."

"Good god.I can't go to her.I don't know how I'm going to break this to my family, I'll be the first to be having a baby with no husband you know."

"Well, I do know another one, her name is Lydia Richardson, she's an older lady, she comes in every other month, excellent doctor; but all she does is volunteer, I suppose I could ask her to come in more often for you."

"I don't mean to put you out."

"Don't worry darling, I've been looking for a way to get her to work more regularly for years." She smiled devilishly. "She's one of the best doctors I've ever seen!"

"Well that's always good to know. Richardson, any relation to a Yaten Richardson?" She asked curiously, because the name had struck a cord, besides Dr. Baker knew everyone.

"Yes, she's his mother, but don't talk to her about him, she's very sensitive about her son, he left her to live with his father and half brother when he was a teen you see."

"Oh." she said wondering how sweet old Yaten could leave his own mother. It occurred to her that she had no idea of the circumstances, maybe he'd been unwanted, maybe his father had left his mother, she didn't know, and she knew better than to ask. She suddenly envisioned her child leaving her to live with Darien, and Ayane. She swallowed, he was a good father, but the thought of losing the only thing she had left of him was almost too painful to even think about. 

"By the way how do you know Yaten?" The Doctor asked her with a speculative smile that made Serena gasp horribly. 

"No.oh I met him because my boss's house was broken into, he's a detective, I.he." she mumbled stammering in shock. 

"It's quite alright you don't have to tell me if he's the."

"No! He's not the father!" she said quickly with a gust of fear at the thought of anyone believing that. 

"Alright, alright I believe you doll, not that it's any of my business, now I can give you something safe for the morning sickness, I might add you've only got a couple months before you start showing, and if your anything like your mother it'll be in the 5th month, so you're on a timeline. I delivered you and I've been your doctor since then, and your friend for as long I hope, and as your friend I think you should tell your family. Going through pregnancy without support especially during the early stages is extremely difficult, not to mention you run a risk of higher stress, believe me you'll have enough of it with out having this on your chest." She patted Serena's hand. "I'll set up the appointment with Dr. Richardson for next Friday, and don't worry about the medication seeming obvious towards pregnancy, it's often prescribed for stomach flu's on already ill people.like your mother for instance." She said suggestively with a little smile, it amazed Serena how well this woman could guess her worries. 

"Thank you."Serena whispered meaning it. Her heart was a mix between joy and extreme sadness, this child would never know it's father, or perhaps one day.it would be cruel for her to cut Darien out completely but for now she needed to think only of herself and her child. Later she would think of him.

Sammy didn't say anything when she came out, he didn't even ask her what the doctor said, but his eyes had softened, and a sudden odd look had come over his face. She drove them to the pharmacist got her meds, and then took them home. But after she parked the car and was about to open the door, Sammy grabbed her arm and closed the door.

"We need to talk." He said sternly sounding 30.

"All right what about?" she asked calmly.

"Your pregnant I assume?" he matched her calmness, watching her jump.

"Did you over hear the doctor?" she asked horror clouding her voice.

"No, I guessed before, you've been sick every morning, and at night you cry, it's obvious." He told her smoothly. Her eyes widened, if he'd heard her cry, could her mother have? "She doesn't know, she's too irritable to notice anything, but she's not stupid she will.who is he?" he asked her evenly. Although his eyes had darkened, she almost smiled at protectiveness of her little brother.

"Darien Volpe if you can believe it." she sighed, because she knew her brother knew of him. Sammy didn't act like other 12 year-olds; he loved documentaries, books, newspapers, and biographies. He would make a good journalist she thought, he researched for fun and Darien was one of his favorite topics. He thought it was extremely interesting how at 22 he'd started a company, and within 6 years made it the huge success that it was. Truthfully she to marveled at it, he was brilliant to say the least.

"That.wow." He mumbled shocked, he looked like more like that 12 year-old she'd yelled at the morning she'd come back, she realized with a start he'd been acting odd ever since she'd come back, she wondered with slight awe how intuitive he truly was, if he'd guessed before she had.

"Yah."

"And how did you meet him?" he asked with his eyes still widened.

"I worked for him, I took care of his daughter." She mumbled plaintively.

"He has a daughter?!" he asked incredulously. 

"By his ex-wife."

"Wow.my niece or nephew will be worth about a third of a billion dollars."

"What?" she asked stunned.

"Well I assume he'd split the money three ways, between his kids and sister, you know when he dies.. after Hack gets at him." he said with cold indifference.

"He doesn't know, and he won't either!" She blurted out, afraid he'd tell Hack or Andrew something wrong, hell she was terrified he'd tell them anything.

"What?" he half yelled in shock.

"I.I can't tell him." she mumbled to her feet. 

"Why not?" he asked her with a slightly exasperated tone.

"Because.he'll marry me if he finds out." 

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"No! I will not be married out of pity!" she said angrily.

"It wouldn't be pity."

"Oh forgive me it be a sense of duty, that is so much better!" she said sarcastically.

"Well what would I know, I've never been so blinded by love for someone that I can't even think about my own future, come inside, I'll make dinner." He said steadily, walking out of the car and towards the house before she could say anything. Serena wanted to scream, he was the most infuriating person on the planet, the icy odd control that made him seem years to old, he wanted to be a soldier. He was fearless for a 12 year-old on the odd time he did become excited and childish, it was only towards his immediate family. He was a looker, at 12 he looked easily 16, and girls followed her poor brother home every other day. He was very mature for his age; maybe that's what attracted them. That and his soulful blue eyes, the eyes that were so much like hers, yet they were deeper, she shuttered with the realization of what had made them so dark, well she assumed, he never talked about it. What ever it was.

She sighed, and locked up the car, and walked into her house. She knew she could trust her brother not to tell her mother, but Hack and Andrew.. well.she took a deep breath, she couldn't think about that, she had to keep control, her mother wasn't stupid she'd figure it out eventually. She groaned inversely at what her reaction would be, violent described it.

                                                            ****

Violent would describe Darien's moods. He'd gone from bad, to worse to unbearable. In the weeks that had followed his conversation with Malcolm, he'd shut himself off, he wasn't going after her, he didn't want to get hurt, and he didn't want her anyways.. right?

Life with out Serena was unbearable, in more way then one. Ayane had grown attached, and the shortage of nannies made it harder to get over needing Serena. In the end he'd hired Mina to do it, she'd taken the job since her son was off from school and she had no one to look after him, that and she needed the money. So his daughter had a play date, someone about her age to be with. It worked out nicely, he dropped Ayane of in the morning and picked her up on his way home, sometimes Mina and Zack came over. Had Darien not been so rapped up in his own world, he might have noticed the distinct similarity between Zack and the Miller family. 

He was so perturbed he didn't even pay attention to the daily squabbles between Ami and Zoey, who were still at each other's throats. But the nights were the worst, he'd only been with Serena 3 times, but she was engraved into his memory. His body wanted hers as his heart wanted her. And it punished him for denying it, he was very irritable, and everything rubbed him the wrong way. It was getting to the point where only Ayane came near him, the little girl knew instinctively that Darien, as irritable and frustrating as he was, wouldn't hurt her. Everyone else wished they fell under this infinite protection, because no one was safe from his dark ire.

So one particular Monday morning after everyone had just about enough of Darien, they locked him in his office and refused to let him out, that is unless he agreed to go after the woman he was so obviously obsessed with. Everyone had pretty much figured out he was lovesick, but only the boys and Ami knew who it was. At first he swore, and threatened to fire them all, especially Malcolm who was responsible for the whole thing. Eventually he calmed down enough to realize that he couldn't keep living this way; day to miserable day, wanting nothing more than to scream and have tantrums. 

So after about two hours of pacing, and swearing, he came to a decision. He was going to go to Texas, he told himself it was because he wanted away from guys and their nagging, but he knew the truth he wanted Serena back. He picked up the phone and buzzed Ami.

"Hello ready to give in?" Malcolm's calm collected voice asked. 

"No, but I am going to Texas happy?" he asked exasperated.

"Very, don't forget to invite me to your wedding."

"I am not going to get married, I'm going to go back to my ranch ride horses and get away from you lot!" he yelled.

"Alright whatever you say, I'll have Ami get you and Ayane a tickets for later today.you can't leave until their confirmed, I don't trust you Volpe." 

"And if she can't?"

"Well then I guess we'll have to put you on a private jet."

"Like hell you will, I sold mine!" he growled out.

"Yah and I bought it, remember?" Malcolm laughed out when Darien swore. 

"You can't fly!" Darien roared furiously.

"Yes I can." 

"No you can't, Yaten can."

"And who do you think taught Yaten everything he knew about planes? You chew on that while we get you ready to go, you won't even have to go home, we'll take care of everything, bye" With that he hung up.

True to his word, everything was taken care of Ayane was picked up, along with all the stuff they could possibly need, Darien was shoved into the car, driven up to airport and almost forced into Malcolm's private jet because they couldn't get him on any flights. The pilot was Jaden, because Rei, him and Kasumi were going to Texas too or rather because of him. They were going to police him. Jaden had learned to fly when he was 15, being as how his father was filthy rich, perhaps not as rich as Darien was now but close enough. So hoping that Jaden screwed wasn't worth the effort. They'd get him there, and there would be no 'if ands or buts'. Darien almost smiled at their gusto, they weren't going to give up, so instead of fighting, he kicked his feet up and let them tell him what to do. Tomorrow morning he was going to make sure Jaden got on an unbroken horse. He smiled darkly at the thought. 

Ayane snuggled up to her father, and fell asleep in his arms, dreaming about the new family she knew she was going to get. Once Serena and her daddy got married, she'd never be unwanted. She smiled in her sleep as she dreamed about her future. 

                                                         ****

Serena shuttered as she cut vegetables, she missed and cut her finger.

"Serena you scatterbrain!!" her mother howled at her, as she started to bleed. "Can't you even cut carrots? How you've survived on your own I'll never know!" Her words stung Serena, but she refused to cry. She wrapped her finger up and went to the washroom; a barrage of insults to her abilities followed her. 

"Don't let her get to you" Sammy said from the opened door.

"I'm trying not to, but god she's deliberately attacking me.like old times.why does she hate me so much?" She asked angrily.

"Because you look exactly like Iris, besides she doesn't hate you," he said with a wistful smile. 

"She does, besides she looks like Iris too." She whispered.

"Not exactly, Iris had blond hair just like yours, and the same height, haven't you ever wondered where your height came from? Mom's 5'9 and dad was 6'3" he pointed out.

"Lucky me I get Hack's mother's gene's, why doesn't she hate Hack?" she asked him.

"Hack looks more like dad, besides your almost identical to Iris, family throw back I guess."

"Lucky me, I hadn't thought about that.makes sense I guess." She sighed bandaging up her finger. "Oh well, I just hope my baby doesn't look like me," she smiled sadly. She hoped her baby looked exactly like Darien.

"Serena!!" Her mother howled out angrily. "Hurry up, the potatoes will get spoiled, honestly child, how you lived on your own is a mystery at best!" Serena rolled her eyes, and headed back to the kitchen. She wondered what she was going to do once she started showing, probably move somewhere else, somewhere far, far away.

                                                          ****

His first day in the house he hadn't visited in almost 4 years, was unimaginably peaceful. Jaden, Rei and Kasumi were going to spend the night, and then they were heading off to Jaden's family's ranch. He walked around the marvelous Victorian styled house, amazed that he hadn't come back sooner. He loved this place; he loved every damn detail of it. 

"Dinner's ready." Sheila, the cook, cleaner and caretaker of the enormous house called.  Darien smiled as he headed of to see what culinary treat the woman had made. 

"I wonder if she made any Cinnamon bread." Jaden said with a smile, he had as much a fetish for the stuff as Rei and Darien.  

"Probably, she knows we love the stuff." Darien offered with a smile. They walked into the dinning room, and sat down. Darien at the head of the table, Jaden to his left, Rei walked out of the kitchen with dishes in her hands, followed by a scowling Sheila. Rei took her seat to the right of Darien, and Sheila set down the other dishes, muttering about foolishly polite pregnant girls. Darien stifled a grin as he helped himself to mashed potatoes. In the kitchen his daughter and niece were eating on the tinier table. 

Everything seemed right with the world right then. Sitting eating his stake (because Sheila loved cooking it) and mashed potatoes, with a few peas (because Sheila was glaring fit to burn him) and his favorite drink in his hand. Now if only Serena was sitting next to him, everything would be perfect. He sighed because everything couldn't be right with his world unless he had Serena, and he wasn't going to chase her.so this was as good as it would get. 

For the first time in 15 years Darien finished his meal by lighting a cigarette. Of course he was considerate enough to do it outside; he stood out in the coral with his back against the enclosure fence in his jeans and a tee shirt, his Stetson covering his eyes, and his half burnt cigarette in his right hand. Rei glared at him from her balcony, wondering at how stupid her big brother could get. He was so obviously crazy about Serena, but he was to damn pigheaded to follow her. So he'd spend the rest of his life as he was now, alone, irritable, and smoking himself to death. 

Rei sighed sadly, she loved Darien, and seeing him in pain was heartbreaking. She wondered how long it would take him to crack, to realize his life wouldn't be worth living with out Serena. She knew how he felt in a way, she'd loved Jaden for years, and he'd been right in front of her, but unattainable. She'd nearly died seeing him everyday longing to be with him. A strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She smiled as she turned to look into Jaden's eyes. 

"Hey beautiful." He smiled into her eyes. 

"Hi." She whispered moving closer towards his chest.

"Darien's still out there smoking isn't he?" He asked knowingly.

"Yah, I think that's his third one.. why is he doing this to himself?" she asked tearfully.

"Oh baby don't cry," he said wiping away her tears. "He's doing it because he's trying not to get hurt, but he'll end up hurting himself more." 

"Oh thanks that really relieves my fears!" she said faking punching his stomach. Jaden laughed as he caught her arm and pulled her closer.

"It has to get worse before it gets better, he'll get over himself, and go after her, believe me when a man's faced with the choice of being proud and living alone, or begging to be with someone their crazy about, they throw pride to the winds, and drop to their knees, trust me Rei, he'll wake up." She smiled and took his hand to her slightly rounded belly.

"Can you feel that?" She asked him curiously. He looked at her confused, and she smiled devilishly. "The baby says that Darien needs a shove in the right direction," She smiled even broader as she continued, "And the baby wouldn't say no to some mango ice-cream with a little caramel syrup on top." She arched and eyebrow suggestively.

"What my ladies want my ladies will get." He smiled as he left her to go hunt down some mango ice cream, and one L.J Krux's phone number. Rei sat down on her bed, running her hand protectively over her belly, her last child had been almost painful to Darien, because of what Valessa had done, but this time she would make sure everyone was happy when little Hitomi was born. 

                                                             ****

Actually they hadn't needed to meddle, Darien had decided he couldn't keep living this way, to hell with pride. He needed Serena. So he called L.J all on his own. And to his immense shock, she'd refused flat out. Saying in nicer words, that Darien could burn in hell for hurting Serena, and that she wouldn't help him find her even if Darien gave up every penny in his bank account, she hung up leaving Darien slightly puzzled. How did L.J know about Serena and him? Was she snooping? Or did she know Serena personally? Whatever the case, he needed to figure something else out.

So naturally, he did a little snooping of his own. He called the postal service back in Boston to find out Serena's forwarding address; which they wouldn't give him for privacy reasons. He was starting to get desperate when fate interceded, in a grocery store.

Serena's mother had sent her and her brother to pick up some groceries, an everyday menial task which Serena could not do on her own anymore. Of course her mother hadn't known that, so when her brother volunteered to escort her, she was a little curious. Nonetheless they'd gone together. She'd had a bad feeling about this, but she hadn't wanted to voice her feelings, it was probably her pregnancy doing bizarre things anyways. She kept telling herself she was being ridiculous, that she was just being paranoid.

She thought that up until she went down the aisle to grab some chocolate syrup for her newfound cravings, and ran into a very tall, very agitated man. She mumbled an apology and then looked down at the man she'd half tackled with her cart. 

"Oh my god." she whispered shocked out of her wits.

"What? Did I break something on my way down? You know like my head?" Darien asked annoyed, that is until he looked up and saw Serena. "Serena.?" He stuttered with his eyes as wide as saucers.

"What.what are you doing here?" she whispered with her jaw open.

"Well I **_was_** grabbing some caramel syrup, but currently I'm testing the dustiness of this floor." He told her with dry humor, he looked upset, actually that was an understatement he looked flat out pissed off.

"I'm so sorry" she muttered still not moving.

"Well you should be, I think you broke my rib, but I don't think I'll be needing it since you seem to think I have no heart either!" he told her coldly. 

"Wh.what?" she couldn't think clearly, this had to be a dream. Darien lying propped up on one elbow, giving her that million dollar glare, the one that could make a lion back off, was just to surreal.

"How could you believe that whore?" he asked her angrily. He knew this wasn't the time or the place, but he didn't care, he was pissed off! He'd been dying for a look at her, and here she was and she looked petrified, well damn her, he'd give her a reason to be scared.

"So it didn't work out with her huh?" she asked coldly, hiding her pain, but she was too slow Darien saw it. Only he saw it wrong, mistaking pain for contempt. 

"No it didn't, it never did, I left her well before you came into the picture Serena, but you didn't stick around long enough to ask! You trusted a woman you've never seen, you don't even know, over me! That says a lot about what you think of me." His eyes burned into hers, but she wasn't going to back down, damn him he had to be lying.

"Like you gave me a person to trust, you're a player, no forgive me you're a rich player! Women mean nothing to you." she yelled at him.

"And how would you know Ms. Lane? I don't recall you telling me you could read minds, but you seem to have a pretty good handle on what you think goes on in mine!" he yelled back at her

"Am I wrong?" She challenged.

"Yes!! I am not an over sexed moron who some how miraculously became a billionaire!"

"I never said you were stupid!"

"You obviously think I am, if I'd sleep with you while I had something else going on!" 

"What?"

"Think about it Serena, if I slept with you, while I was with someone else don't you think I'd have told you not to answer the phone or something like that?"

"You might not have thought that far."

"So I'm an idiot then? How do you think I run a company if I can't think that far a head?" 

"I."

"Didn't think about that did you? How about the fact that she told you details? Who the hell would?" 

"A whore!" she yelled in frustration.

"Really? So I slept with a virgin while I was with a whore? God I must be stupid!" He said sarcastically. 

"Maybe you wanted her and she didn't want you."

"Have you **_met_** Francesca?" he asked her incredulously. "Do you read the papers? Don't answer I already know, why else would you think I'm a player, while you were worked for me had you ever seen me with a woman?" he asked her darkly.

"Well no."

"So naturally, if I live alone, no female calls for me besides my secretary and my sister, I must be a player!" he barked at her sarcastically.

"You have a daughter."

"I was MARRIED!" he yelled throwing his arms up in the air.

"You called your secretary honey." she mumbled to her feet.

"So? I call my horse honey! Does that mean I sleep with my horse?" 

"Well how the hell am I suppose to know?" she yelled at him, because she was losing her footing.

"The fact is you ran without even knowing, you didn't even know anything about me, besides I'm rich, I was married, oh and yah I have a daughter.did you even consider what your leaving would do to Ayane?" he asked her angrily.

"You didn't know me either! And don't throw her in my face, I didn't want to leave her!"

"No just her slut of a father!" 

"Not like you did much to improve the image!" 

"Not like you fought me off!" 

"As if you didn't want it!"

"You wanted it to sunshine, or don't you remember."

"Don't."

"Trying to forget? You probably will, I was just a guinea pig anyways! I ought to sue you for raping me!" he yelled at her.

"I did not rape you, how the hell could I have?" 

"You took advantage of me! Me and my innocence!" he said in sham rage, for some reason remembering that night eased his mood.

"You weren't innocent!"

"How would you know?" he asked arching an eyebrow.

"Oh gee lets see.. AYANE!" 

"Well that means nothing, I could have fathered her with out the use of a bed."

"The hell you did!" she growled blushing. He started laughing, and she stood there glaring at him annoyed. "What's so funny?"

"You.you're such a prude." he couldn't stop laughing. 

"I am not!"  She was taken back by his laughter.

"Really? Well do you remember right after I walked out of the shower?" he asked arching an eyebrow, she blushed looking away, he burst out laughing. "See?" 

"That's not funny!" she howled angrily.

"Umm how about if I pulled you down here and showed you how funny it is?" he asked her suggestively, she blushed deeper, and he threw his head back and started laughing again. 

"I thought you were mad at me." She stated to her feet, because anger was one thing but amusement she wasn't ready for. 

"So did I, you just have an odd effect on me," he admitted, he was still on the floor, but now he was smiling. 

"Don't smile at me like that!" she said angrily.

"Why not?"

"Because it makes me forget what I'm doing!" she admitted annoyed. He smiled broader. 

"I guess I'm going to have to do it more often."

"Why?"

"Even the field, because everything you do makes me forget what the heck I was doing before you walked in, hell I don't even know what I'm doing in this aisle." He said with a little grin. 

"Syrup?" she offered.

"Right.I knew that." He pulled himself of the floor and dusted of his jeans, as he reached past her for caramel syrup. "Rei finished all of this stuff back at home." 

"You live here?" she asked surprised.

"Yup I own a ranch here."

"Ace of hearts?" she asked him.

"Yes.how?"

"My brother was telling me about how you owned a ranch somewhere in Texas, named the Ace of hearts, it'll totally blow his mind that you live in Red brook"

"Before he blows my brain across the floor?"

"Oh no, not that one, my younger brother."

"Does he know how to shoot?"

"Well he wants to join the army."

"Great, so I'll be running from your Ex. merc brother, while your pilot sister drops bombs on me, and your military brother plants land mines? Wow I must have a death wish!" She bit her lower lip down to stop herself from laughing.

"Their not that protective.well Andrew will try to kill you, but you'll get a head start because he'll get into a fight with Hack about who gets to kill you."

"Comforting." 

"Serena?" Sammy's voice called from behind Darien, who turned to face the boy, who didn't look 12.

"Sammy this is Darien." She began.

"Volpe? No freaking way!" He said with his jaw open.

"Why not?" Darien asked curiously.

"Your to tall."

"You know I get that a lot.they just like making me look shorter." he said with a little grin. He looked sixteen, but he sounded younger right now. 

"And calmer." Serena put in with a little smile. Darien arched an eyebrow at her over his shoulder.

"So I suppose you're the."

"Sammy!" Serena called out suddenly, her eyes widened in warning.

"You didn't tell him?!" he asked her incredulously.

"Didn't tell me what?" 

"I told you I wasn't going to." She pointed out.

"Wasn't going to tell me what?" 

"Well you seem all buddy, buddy now, what are you waiting for Christmas?"

"Waiting to tell me what at Christmas?" Darien was starting to get annoyed.

"I told you I wasn't going to.not yet."

"What aren't you going to tell me yet?" 

"Fine." He said throwing his arms up. "I'll see you at the check out." He walked past Darien and grabbed the cart, and pushed it out of the aisle, muttering about idiot girls who were blinded by stupidity and love.  She looked over her shoulder laughing to herself; she turned back and smiled at Darien.

"Oh decided to notice my existence have we?"  he asked arching an eyebrow.

"Sorry."

"So what haven't you told me?" he asked playfully.

"That you're pretty?" 

"Nice try, seriously though." He smiled, this felt so natural, almost too natural. 

"It's nothing." she mumbled. Darien looked at her for a moment, and then he pushed her chin up wit his thumb, and pinned her with a serious look.

"You don't trust me do you?" He asked sadly.

"No it's not."

"Yes it is, you don't know me, and I don't know you, we sort of skipped that part," he said looking her in the eyes. "We'll have to fix that.go out with me tonight."

"What?" she asked surprised.

"I want to know about your life, about you, don't you want to know about me?"

"Well yah."

"So lets find out, go out with me tonight."

"Darien."

"Nothing will happen unless you want it to, until you ready for it to."

"But."

"I just want to feed you. And if I should learn a little about you in the process, well it's a free country." She smiled at him.

"I don't know my mother's very conservative."

"She won't come after me with a gun will she?" he asked her apprehensively.

"No she can't shoot, if you're up for an old lady glaring at you while you wait for her daughter."

"You're joking right? That describes my dating up until I was 25, I'm up for it if you are." He smiled down at her.

"Well in that case, I'd love to." Her heart felt as if it was in heaven. She smiled at him. "I've got to go, before Sammy comes back and drags me away, I'll see you tonight, here's my address." She said grabbing his arm and pulled the pen from behind her ear and scribbling it on his forearm. 

"That tingles.you press down hard, did you know?" he asked her when she'd finished.

"Yup, I've been doing that since I was 10 years old."

"ah, something for us to discuss tonight." He smiled arching an eyebrow. She smiled back, and they stood like that for a moment before Sammy called out for her. 

"I'd better go."

"You better." She turned around and walked away. "If she turns around she's crazy about you." he whispered to himself. "Turn." she kept walking. "Turn." she still kept walking. "Come on turn." 

Serena turned to get one last look at the man she loved, she was surprised to see him arch an eyebrow, grin victoriously, and send her a flying kiss. Then with the same damnable look on his face he walked away. Serena's heart stopped as she watched him walk. "If he really wants this he'll turn." she muttered to herself. "Turn." As if he heard her he turned to face her.

"If you keep looking at me like that I might never get home." He pointed out.

"Don't go home then." she told him.

"Wouldn't I love to live at the supermarket." He smiled wistfully. "But we give up childish dreams like that." 

"Would you stop flirting and come over here?" Sammy called out impatiently.

"Yah Serena, stop flirting." Darien said in sham sternness.

"Me! How about you."

"Hey you took advantage of me! I'm a simple billionaire what did I know about woman? And here you came with your pretty blond hair, tempting me into sinning, shame on you Serena Lane!" He said with an evil little grin, before ducking an apple. He started to laugh as she turned around and walked over to her brother, muttering about crazy men and their delusions. He was feeling better than he had in days, she had one hell of an effect on him, and damn it all he was never going to let her get away from him again.

Serena's head was reeling how could any of this be happening? She never thought she'd see him again and here he was asking her out on a date; it was so surreal. So surreal that she'd almost forgotten reality..she was pregnant with his child, she'd have to tell him.eventually.. As if a huge pin had somehow burst her bubble, Serena's whole demeanor changed, how was she going to keep it from him if she was going out with him to a restaurant or something? What if he ordered wine? A sudden thought hit her, she didn't know where they were going. She placed her heads in her hands and swore. 

"Why am I such an idiot?" she asked aloud to herself, nonetheless Sammy felt compelled to answer.

"Because you're in love you dolt!" He barked at her angrily. "And he's going to be royally pissed that you didn't tell him!"

"Yah well I'll think about that later."

"Fine, but have you thought about what you're going to tell mother? You remember her, the woman who wouldn't have let you date up until you were 17, and even then she needed to meet the guy? Perhaps you recall that she's been even more tyrannical lately?" 

"I'm a grown woman."

"The hell you are! You're always going to be the baby of the group, even with me around, she'll never let you go." Serena knew it was true, what on earth was she going to do? She was an idiot.she'd have to cancel.but how could she when Darien meant everything to her? God this was going to be interesting.

(A/n: ok I'm sorry it looks like another cliffy.but honestly I didn't know how to end this one.I thought you ppl wouldn't want to read anymore if it didn't have something for you to look forward to.[hides behind old lady] Honestly I did it for you guys!! Lol anyways review please!! This chappy took along time because I had no inspiration.don't hate me! But the more you review the more inspiration..remember if you want to be on my mailing list email me! Loads of love to all of my fans and reviewers *hugs* you guys are the best!! @_# I have to go do my math now, so review to keep me sane!! ^_~) 


	10. Chapter eight

_Chapter eight_

****

Darien's head was reeling by the time he got home; he could scarcely believe his own nerve. He hadn't seen her in almost 2 months, hadn't heard her sweet voice, smelt her sweet…. Damn her! She was already getting under his skin. He wanted so badly to kiss the breath out of her, but he knew that he had to wait. He had to do it right this time, she didn't know him, and he didn't know her, it would only strengthen their relationship, this abstinence. But it was going to be tough on him. He almost laughed at himself, a week ago he was to busy trying to burn the thoughts of her out to even think about calming his libido down, and to think his icy cold attitude towards any female, had been melted in a matter of minutes by the little blond woman whose fault it was in the first place. He was going to enjoy punishing her for running away, by loving her to death. He smiled contently to himself, god he was such a child.

"Darien are you…. uh…ok?" Sheila asked the recently moody man.

"No I'm great!" he said picking the old lady up and spinning her around in a little circle before putting her down again, and kissing her cheek. The woman looked up at him in shock.

"Darien don't take this the wrong way, but I'm going to go grab some of the horse tranquilizer…" Darien burst out laughing.

"No need, I already have my serenity back…" He smiled mysteriously to himself, as he walked away. She stared after him, convinced one of the cowboy's had shot the man with a tranquilizer, and sadly she couldn't blame them, Darien had been a holy terror, the cowboy's hadn't avoided Darien like this since…well since Valessa and even then he was more composed. This Serena, who ever she was must have been some kind of woman, to be able to bring Darien Volpe to his knees.

                                                               ****

Serena held her mother's gaze, as the older woman had a fit. Her fists were balled as she yelled at Serena about morals, and rules, and the dignity of a lady. Serena could have laughed at the old lady. She desperately wanted to say; 'I hopped into bed with him already, now I'd like to get to know him, since he's going to be the father of my child!' but knew better than to. She allowed the woman to yell herself hoarse, then she helped her back into her bed, her energy obviously spent; Serena took this as her opportunity, and she intended to use it to the fullest. 

"Mother, I like him very much, he's a good man, and I'm 22 years old! I am not a child, you cannot choose who I can and cannot date. I can vote, I can buy a drink, and I can have a child of my very own if I wanted to, I think we've passed the stage where you can dictate my life to me." She said very calmly. Of course her insolence (in her mother's eyes) only served to give the older woman her second wind.

"At least when you lived by my rules you had some morals! You live in my house, and you live by my rules now! Living on your own brought you this mess where you needed to come back and live with me because you couldn't support yourself! Well girl, you moved out when you were 18 and you said you were an adult, but your sure not acting like one coming back to live…" she said derisively before Serena cut her off. 

"Really? How about when Andrew came? He was 28 years old if you recall! I can support myself; I came here to look after you! I am an adult, mother, and if you don't want me in this house just say the word and I'll leave." She ground out angrily, she was going to be a mother herself, and if she wanted to be a good one she needed to confront her own mother, and damn it she'd spent too long allowing herself to be walked on.

"Are you mouthing me off!?" her mother asked incredulously.

"No, I'm just tired of you treating me like an idiot! I'm the only one of your kids to come back to look after you! I'm the only one who tried to make it completely on my own! Andrew was the athletic one and when he lost that you gave him all the love and support he could ever want, and when Hack left the Air force because she wanted to be openly gay, you didn't so much as flinch! Whenever Sammy gets into a fight at school, no matter how often it's his fault you take his side, but whenever it comes to me you just put me down. 'Oh Serena you can't cook, oh Serena you can't clean, oh Serena your never going to get married, oh Serena you'll never make it on your own!' have you ever said one supportive thing to me? No! And why should you? I'm not the smart one, I'm not he athletic one I'm not the talented one, all I am is the one that works like a dog, sweats blood, and somehow manages to show up to ever damn holiday, and all I ever get is 'oh it's just Serena, I thought it might have been Andrew!'" she yelled at her mother, tears running down her face as she said it. Every painful wound opened and exposed, because she needed to get it out. "Well maybe I shouldn't come, maybe I should just leave and fall of the face of this earth, you probably wouldn't notice!" 

"Don't you say that…I love all my children equally…" her mother shrieked defiantly. 

"Just miserable little Serena gets the rod end of your love!"  

"Serena…"

"Tell me you don't love Andrew more? Tell me your not prouder of Hack, tell me Sammy isn't the apple of your eye…what does that leave me?" She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. 

"Don't be like that girl, I do love you…"

"You don't love me, you're stuck with me!"

"No! Don't say that you're my…."

"Mistake! If you could take me back you would have, admit it, all your other children are gorgeous, smart, athletic, and champions, if it wasn't for me you'd be a very, very proud mother!" 

"I am proud…"

"Of your other children, I'm just the black spot on your perfect record, the black sheep of the Lane family, I'm short, I'm average intelligence, I couldn't throw a ball to save my life, and god knows I'm uglier than the rear end of a cow, why should you be proud?"

"Serena why would you think that…you're not any…."

"Forget it! I don't care what you have to say, I already know what you think of me and that's fine, but god help you mother you're never coming near my baby ever! And to hell with your rules I'm going out with Darien tonight, and if I want to hop into bed with him, well then that's what I'll do! It's not like I'll drop much more in your eyes!" She walked swiftly out of the room, never looking back.

All her anger was bubbling inside her and was ready to completely explode; she walked out the front door and slammed it behind her. She tucked her feet under her on the porch swing and allowed her tears to fall from her eyes. She cried for herself; because she'd always be second best, she cried for her mother; because she was second best and that's why she hated Serena so, and her unborn child; who she already loved beyond intelligence, because her baby would only be a mistake to Darien. She cried silently until again like that terrible night months ago, she had spent them all. 

Now she thought clearly, she loved Darien, and she loved his child, the child he knew nothing about. And she'd have to tell him, and the sooner the less likely he was to get angry. If she told him tonight it would ruin any chance she had of getting to know the real Darien, she wanted so desperately to know, so tonight wasn't the night. She'd tell him, and it would only be a complication to him, a complication she wanted almost as badly as she wanted him. And if he knew and truly didn't want the child she could raise it without him ever being in the picture, and without the fear that he'd suddenly show up. But if she kept it from him, he'd hate her and want to spite her…he'd take the baby away from her. She shuttered with the thought, he was ruthless enough to do it. Her heart cried silently for the love she had for him, the love that would never be returned she was sure. 

Her mother was going to be testy and angry for the next little while, but to hell with that, she'd gotten what she needed to say out, and if Irene didn't like it she'd just have to live with it. Serena sighed she was too gutsy for herself. She looked down at her watch, and decided to go get dressed, and then it occurred to her that she had no idea what time he was coming at. She shook her head at her own stupidity; at least she'd had the foresight to include her number with her address. She went inside feeling like spiting her mother, she wondered if the pink and black lace dress she'd worn to her little outing with Yaten still fit…

                                                                ****

Darien stared down at the interior of his truck. He felt like a teen on his very first date, he had butterflies swimming in his stomach, and a tendency to fidget. God he was a freak, he thought despite himself. On his right arm was Serena's address and phone number, he'd already written it down on a separate sheet of paper, but the idea of washing it off wasn't very appealing. He liked her writing he decided, it seemed so much prettier now that it wasn't telling him she was leaving. He smiled, as he headed of to her house, hearing her pretty voice on the phone had been like swimming in an ocean of sweet expensive wine. Seeing her tonight would be like heaven.

                                                                 ****

Serena sat out on her porch dressed up; she'd decided against the dress, she didn't want Darien to feel second best, not to mention she was a little uncomfortable in it. She was wearing a dark denim skirt, and a light pink tee shirt with the all two familiar pink flip-flops. Her blonde hair was tied up tight and had a little pink purse in her left hand. She sat with her legs tucked under her; she stared out waiting slightly impatiently for Darien.

A black pick-up truck, appeared from her left, she smiled at the image of what Darien would look like behind the wheel of one of those. It would suit his features but not his style, she supposed. Until the truck pulled up in front of her and the driver, open his door and hopped out. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Darien in a light blue button up shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, and a black Stetson. He was gorgeous, and the cowboy get up suited him, he arched an eyebrow at her reverie.

"Are you going to let me feed you, or would you rather stare at me?" He asked her teasingly. Truthfully the sight of her was melting him away, she was beautiful, the jean skirt showed off her perfect legs and her flip-flops showed her pretty toes…. those flip-flops seemed…familiar? That's when it hit him. "You were wearing those the day we…" 

"Yah…I can't believe you remember." She stammered, sadly she could remember ever detail, and her heart was sure he wouldn't even remember what color the tank top he'd ripped was.

"I should get those framed, along with that white tank top." He said with a little devilish smile. She stared at him in shock, had he just said that? "As much as I like standing on your curb…"

"Oh sorry…" She said jumping off the swing, and walking over to him, he laughed as she moved towards him.

"Darling I was kidding, I really wouldn't mind standing on this curb as long as I got to look at you." He admitted with a little evil smile, he helped her into the passenger side of his truck, and then went over to his side. 

"I didn't think you'd drive a truck." She admitted to him.

"Really what did you think I'd drive?"

"Something flashy and red." She said with a little grin.

"Well I do, but I've always had a thing for a black truck."

"Really? Why?"

"I grew up driving them, back when I worked as a ranch hand, that's what they made me drive." He said shrugging his shoulders, as he drove them into parking lot of a little restaurant. 

"You worked as a ranch hand?" She asked a little surprised.

"Honey I wasn't born rich you know." He said as he got out of the truck. He walked over to her side, and helped her out.

"You could have fooled me."

"How so?"

"Well you're very dignified…" he looked at her for a minute and then burst out laughing. "What?"

"That's your nice way of saying I'm snobby." He said shaking his head.

"No! Your not snobby at all, I just mean…well you're very graceful, and you don't act like you've ever been without money…"

"You mean I act like money doesn't mean anything to me?" he offered, she nodded her head. "Well I learned young, that money doesn't mean anything if you're alone, believe me I'd rather be dirt poor than trade my sister, or my daughter…or you" he said guiding her into the restaurant. The outside had looked small and shabby, but the inside was beautiful, with a very Spanish oriented style. 

"It's so pretty…" she muttered to herself, but he heard her.

"My best friend's family owns it," he told her.

"Oh…he has very nice taste…"

"He didn't decorate it, his half brother did, uh, Yaten…"

"Your best friends with his brother?!" She wheeled around staring at him surprised.

"What?" 

"So you knew Yaten very well then?"

"Well yes…" He said, as they were lead to their table. As soon as the menus had been given to them, and the waitress had left Serena asked the question she'd been burning to ask him.

"Why did you call me his Twinkie, if you knew him so well you ought to have known I wasn't…"

"Jealousy does crazy things to a man, to any man, especially when your jealous of a man who's better looking, and younger than you…"

"But he's not better looking that you!" she blurted out, and then blushed. Darien grinned devilishly.

"I'm glad you think so." 

"Who doesn't think so?" she asked surprised that anyone would think that someone else could be better looking than Darien.

"You'd be surprised, Yaten's something of a ladies man." 

"Well he is charming, but he has nothing on you…" she blurted out again before she hid behind her menu.

"Your very good for my ego." He said pulling her menu down. 

"I'm not trying to be, I'm just telling you the truth." 

"Sure it is," he said patting her hand, "So what do you want?"

"Well I'm thinking I have no clue, I don't read Spanish." She admitted putting down her menu.

"I'm sorry I should have told you before, it's a very authentic Spanish restaurant."

"Well it's good to know it's a Spanish restaurant, and I'm not going to end up ordering Chinese or something." She grinned at him. "Why don't you pick something?" 

"Well I would go with the special, it's always the best." He confided.

"Can you read Spanish?" she asked him curiously.

"Usted rivaliza con la luna con esos ojos" he said smoothly.

"I'll take that as a yes…what did you say?" she asked curiously.

"I can read, write, and speak it, and I said that you rival the moon with those eyes of yours." He told her. She stared at him for a moment.

"Are you sure you didn't say something like, 'idiot girl can't even speak Spanish'?" He started to laugh.

"Don't feel bad my own sister can't, a lot of people can't, I had to learn."

"Why?"

"Many of the cowhands I had to work with couldn't speak any English, and if your going to learn something you might as well learn it right." 

"I think I'd have died if someone expected me to learn Spanish on my own." She mused.

"I didn't learn it totally on my own, there are books you know, and some of the bilingual cowboys helped me out." 

"It must have been hard working at 16." She offered.

"Yes and no, it wasn't all that hard, the hours were terrible, and work itself was grueling, but from the life I'd had up till then, it was almost a relieve…" he let his sentence trail off, he wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her why on his own, but if she asked…

"A lot's happened to you hasn't it?" She said sadly, the idea that anyone could have hurt Darien was heart breaking to her; even if it had been years ago.

"I'm sorry…it's really hard to talk about this…" He muttered to his feet, he wanted to tell her everything eventually, but he didn't know if now was the right time. She nodded her head, she understood. "Why don't you tell me about you?" He suggested playfully, although his tone was still slightly haunting.

"Well what would you like to know?" she asked him. But before he could answer the waitress came back and Darien ordered in Spanish, she looked up at the gorgeous woman who was taking their order. Her hair shone a bright red, and her pretty eyes were brown, she was taller than Serena, and she was built like a model. Serena was sure Darien was looking at this woman in that way, and that somehow made her feel very inadequate. 

After the waitress left, Darien stared at Serena for a moment. She wasn't saying anything, she was looking down, and her hands were clasped in her lap. He reached towards her, and moved her chin up so he could look into her eyes. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked her gently.

"You have a thing for redheads don't you?" she asked suddenly. Darien looked slightly confused at her, and then it dawned on him.

"The waitress really?" he asked her arching an eyebrow.

"Pardon?"

"Your jealous of the waitress, why?" 

"I am not jealous of the…"

"Liar, she's got nothing on you, you do realize that right?"

"What are you talking about, she's pretty…"

"And you're gorgeous." He said simply.

"The hell I am! Have you seen me?" she asked annoyed, Darien threw back his head and started laughing. "What's so funny?" 

"You, my god your drop dead gorgeous, the waitress was giving you death glares and you're too busy comparing yourself to her, Serena you're really something you know that." He said smiling.

"What do you mean?"

"You're beautiful, there are women who'd kill to look like you…"

"Short, stubby and boyish really?" She asked annoyed.

"Boyish? Where would you get that? And stubby, if you're stubby then I better go on a diet." 

"You don't think I'm boyish?" she asked sheepishly.

"Of course not, you're very feminine, any moron who told you otherwise probably needed glasses in the first place." He said shaking his head. Serena smiled delicately at him. "Now don't smile at me like that," he warned.

"Why not?" 

"Because it makes me forget my point." He told her with a little grin.

"Well in that case you better put a bag over your head…"

"Why?"

"Because your whole face does that to me." She admitted.

"Your going to make my head very big, I don't think I'll be able to walk out the door without getting it stuck." 

"You still haven't answered my question." She said evenly, even though it hurt to bring it up again, she was wondering if he'd just been trying to skate over the issue.

"Umm, I forgot what you asked if you must know." He told her with a little grin. "You must have had the time of your life making men forget their own names." 

"I've never done that before…"

"Yes you have, the first time I met you I swear I forgot who I was." 

"You didn't act it."

"Well I wasn't about to admit it had taken you about 5 seconds to bring me to my knees." 

"You still haven't answered the question." She didn't want to believe him, for some reason it scared her that she had that kind of control, but then he was probably only trying to butter her up.

"What was it?" he asked her.

"Do you prefer redheads?" She asked as she looked at her knees.

"I prefer you." He said pointblank. She stared up at him.

"You're teasing!" 

"Am I?" he asked arching an eyebrow. "I guess you could say I do go for redheads, but for the life of me I don't know why, to be honest I don't even notice until a while after, you prefer blonds don't you?" he accused.

"What?" she asked shocked.

"Oh yes I know your secret." He said in mock seriousness. "I guess there's only one thing I can do."

"And what would that be?"

"Dye my hair blond obviously." He said simply. She burst out laughing; the idea of Darien being blond was a little too much for her. "What don't you think I'd be as pretty with blonde hair?" he asked innocently. 

"You're pretty the way you are." She said in between fits of laughter. He grinned at her.

"What just pretty? Well I never! You bed me and all I get is pretty…next your going to say I'm fat!" He said in fake rage. 

"You fat? Never!" She whispered her voice slightly husky from the laughter.

"Oh now with the complements, well your going to have to try harder if you expect to get me into bed again! Your going to have to dine and wine me lady, I'm not that cheap!" He said in sham defiance.

"Oh of all the rotten luck!" she said in sham frustration. "You're a little to rich for my tastes, I guess I'm just going to have to settle for Yaten."

"Okay I know I started this, but now your freaking me out." He said with a wry little grin. But before she could answer the waitress reappeared with their orders. She gave Darien a seductive little smile, and then began to flirt with him. Serena's heart plummeted, until she heard Darien curt little replies to her flirting. She looked up at him, and saw how irritated he was. The waitress was as sharp as a knife; she disappeared and didn't come back again. Darien looked back at Serena and saw her shocked face burning with curiosity.

"What surprised I'm not that big of a whore?" He asked her cheerfully, even though her unspoken insinuation had hurt.

"I never said you were a…. whore …" she offered, although the idea of Darien on a street corner somewhere was enough to make her burst out laughing. 

"You didn't have to, you implied it." He said a little bitterly.

"I'm sorry…it's not that I think you're a…whore, it's just I don't see why you'd settle for me." She muttered.

"And me being a player is easier to except that your gorgeous, there's no one else like you, and for the life of me I can't stop thinking about you?" he offered. She looked up at him suddenly; he looked down quickly and started to eat. Had he really said that? Or had she imagined that? 

"So what exactly is the special?" she asked curiously, he looked up and smiled, as he went through what they'd ordered.

                                                            ****

Dinner had been wonderful; Serena had never had so much fun before. After they'd eaten Darien took her out to the dance floor. Then they'd ordered desert, and played a little game of quarters. Obviously not the traditional way, but rather a more interesting way; who ever managed to land a quarter into the other's glass got to ask one question of their choice, they had a choice of trying to land two at the same time, so that they wouldn't have to answer their own question. (Which they had to do if they only landed one). So far Serena had found out that Darien's favorite color was in fact blue, his whole name was Darien Brian Endymion Volpe (His mother had a thing for old English fables, apparently Endymion had been a Barbarian king who'd kidnapped a princess named Serenity and forced her into marriage), his worst nightmare was drowning, he'd broken his shoulder, his leg, and his wrist, his first girlfriend had been when he was 7 years old, and Malcolm had beaten the snot out of him because he'd liked her too, in the end they'd ditched the girl and gone bike riding. His favorite food was (any surprises?) Cinnamon bread, the stupidest thing he'd ever done was skateboard off a roof when he was 17, the first time he'd ever gotten drunk he was 14, and it was right after his mother had died, and his first time was when he was 15 with a 19 year old girl who'd thought he was 18. ('Nasty shock when she found out' he'd said with a wry grin.)

So far Darien had found out, that her favorite color was pink although the blue of his eyes was growing on her, her full name was Serena Ann Serenity Lane, ('Bit of an omen don't you think?' He'd said with an impish little grin.) She'd never broken anything, her first boyfriend had been when she was 17, and he'd run scared when he'd met Hack. Her favorite food was cappuccino ice cream, the stupidest thing she'd ever done was move into her dorm (although she wouldn't tell him why), the first time she'd ever been drunk she'd been 6, when Andrew had accidentally given her some clear moonshine thinking it was water. (It had been Hack's doing), the reason she hadn't had a boyfriend earlier than 17 was her conservative mother, her deadliest fear was the hospital because she'd seen her father die in one, and the one thing she'd learned from her teen years was that you should never kiss someone with braces if you have them too, especially if theirs stick out!

Darien was still laughing from her last confession, when a tall platinum blond man walked in. He looked an awful lot like Yaten, except for his eyes, they weren't ice green, but rather the frostiest shade of blue Serena had ever seen. His face was a little harder as well, the delicate features she'd seen on Yaten, were rock formed on his man; he had a certain roughness that made him more ruggedly handsome than Yaten.

"Malcolm?" Darien asked surprised as he turned to look at what Serena was looking at.

"In the flesh." He said with a little grin, he looked exhausted.  

"Serena this is Malcolm Miller, his family owns this restaurant, although I have no clue what he's doing here." Darien said turning to Serena, who smiled politely as she shook his hand.

"Well, now I see why you kept snapping at Mina…" He said awed.

"Can you see it too? I thought maybe I was just going crazy."

"No I can see it, very prominently, especially around the eyes, although Mina's are a little lighter."

"Yes it's the eyes that set them apart, that and the height, but the face is like a copy." Darien agreed.

"Not to be rude or anything, but what are you talking about?" Serena asked slightly annoyed since it seemed to be about her.

"We're talking about how much you look like Darien replacement secretary." He told her calmly.

"What he really means is we're talking about how much you and the woman this ding bat's madly in love with look a like." Darien said defiantly.

"Alright so I love her, no need to rub it in." He sighed miserably.

"Why is that a bad thing?" Serena asked curiously before she could stop herself.

"Because she wouldn't come near me out of choice if her life depended on it." He said sadly. 

"Like you've ever tried to see if that was true." Darien said annoyed.

"This coming from the man who spent almost 2 months making all of us miserable." 

"Alright so I was a pain, no need to remind me, in any case what are you doing here?" 

"Taking a vacation, finding Ami…"

"Finding Ami?" Darien asked abruptly, missing the look in Serena's eyes, although Malcolm didn't.

"Yes she ran away again, and you can blame that on Zoey." He said still looking at Serena.

"What did he do?" Darien asked exasperated.

"Well I don't know Darien, maybe it's because they've been fighting like cats and dogs for the last 2 months; you know while you were busy thinking about Serena over here, not that I blame you mind." He said simply, gauging Serena's reaction to that statement, he could almost have hit Darien for his stupidity. She was obviously stunned by the statement, then disbelieve clouded her pretty eyes, Darien was wrong about her; it wasn't that she didn't trust Darien; it was that she didn't have any sense of worth.

"Would you stop harping about those 2 months, you'd think I'd killed someone." Darien said a little annoyed, that admission, made him particularly vulnerable. Serena wasn't like Francesca or Valessa who would use something like that against him but then he seemed to attract those types of women, he needed to get closer to her, learn about her, before he could reveal things of that nature.

"You might as well have, lord knows we all wanted to kill you, in any case I'm going to go and kidnap me a chef, why don't you and Serena come out my place sometime? I have a feeling she'll like the garden." He said shrugging his shoulders. With a final nod to Darien and Serena he headed back towards the kitchen.

"Is he really going to kidnap a chef?" Serena asked curiously, because she wanted so desperately to avoid what was really bothering her. The way Darien had suddenly locked her out of the conversation when Ami had been mentioned hurt. 

"Probably, it is his restaurant." He said simply.

"What did he mean about the garden?" She asked him, he seemed slight preoccupied, and her heart was breaking again.

"Mina planted it, it's full of roses and gardenias, and magnolia's and every other pretty flower she could get her hands on." Darien told her. "She took care of it with so much love that she'd even taken to calling them her children, now he takes care of them, although he'd kill me for telling anyone that." 

"Poor man, he must really love her."

"You have no idea, he would have thrown the heavens at her feet if she'd asked, but she never gave him a chance just ran." He said sadly.

"That's so awful, he seems like such a nice person."

"Oh he is now, but when she met him he was a holy terror, she had a very calming effect on him apparently."

"Apparently?"

"He never told me," he said looking into her eyes. "I found out when she started to work for me, after Ami ran the first time," As he said it Serena was sure she saw something like love flash in his eyes, she looked down at her coffee, and wondered how bad it could be for the baby, and decided against drinking it. "Everything I know about them is relatively recent, and all the other details I found out from Yaten." He explained. "I might have guessed, he was always kind of sad after it happened." 

"I hope it works out for them." She said wistfully, she didn't want anyone else to go through what she was. Unrequited love was the purist form of hell she decided.

"Don't we all… well where were we?" He asked her.

"I don't know, but I don't feel very well, maybe we better call it a night." She suggested, Darien saw the spark in her eyes disappear, or had it been gone before? What had set her off he wondered? Had he said something…or had Malcolm? He cringed with the thought that she might be trying to run from him again.

"Is something bothering you?" He asked her. 

"My head's throbbing." She improvised; he looked into her eyes, and realized abruptly what had done it.

"Ami's my secretary Serena, nothing's ever happened between us, she's like a little sister to me, that and she's madly in love with brother-in-law's younger brother Zoey," He told her evenly.

"I never said anything." 

"You didn't have to, Serena I know this is hard for you grasp, but I'm not trying to hurt you, and the more you keep locking me out, the more we're both of us going get hurt, you're going to have to trust me eventually." He said firmly yet gently.

"If there's one thing I've learned Darien, it's that trust is the hardest thing to give, but the easiest to lose, and maybe I'm afraid that you'll lose it."

"How would you ever know if you don't give it?" 

"I wouldn't but it'd never get hurt by it either."

"No you'd just die lonely and cynical." He whispered as he moved her chin up to look into her pretty eyes. "I'm not asking for you to trust me with you life, I'm asking you to trust me enough to believe I'd tell you the truth, can you do that?" 

"Yes, I suppose so."

"I'm not asking for you heart Serena, I'm asking that you trust me enough to come to me before you run." 

'Oh Darien you are asking for my heart' She thought sadly, even as she nodded her head. She wanted to trust him, she really did, but she just felt to inadequate to believe that she made any difference to him at all.

"Can you trust me like that?" He asked her again, he wanted to tell her then and there that she could trust him; that he'd sooner cut of his own arm then hurt her. But she needed to trust him to believe that.

"I can try," she whispered.

"Considering what you think I am, I guess I'm lucky to even have that, I guess I'll just have to prove to you that I'm not a monster." He sighed. "But understand this Serena, I am never going to let you get away from me again, you'd have to go to the remote islands of the Amazon, and I'd still track you down."

"Why?" She asked stunned.

"Because you mean a lot to me, I don't suppose you'd believe me, but Malcolm wasn't lying, I spent the last 2 months making everyone around me miserable because I wanted you so badly, finally when they couldn't take me anymore they locked me in my office and told me they'd shoot me if I didn't go after you." He admitted, if he expected her to trust him, he had to trust her, and it wasn't going to be easy. 

"Really?" she asked doubtfully.

"On the head of my daughter, I swear!" he said holding up his left arm and placing his right over his heart. 

"I spent the better part of two months depressed." She admitted, she supposed if he was going to be telling her what he did after she'd run, she might as well tell him.

"Really? That makes me feel a little better, to be honest I thought you'd be out getting drunk with some old flame."  

"Why?" she asked stunned.

"I thought you were only experimenting with me, besides your gorgeous you probably had guys coming after you all the time." 

"No actually I didn't, I was a real ditz growing up, not to mention Hack, by the time I had guys after me I really didn't want that kind of attention anymore." She looked down at her feet, she didn't want to tell him why that was, but she knew he was going to ask.

"And why is that?" She sighed inversely.

"I grew up." She improvised, she'd tell him eventually she decided, now was definitely not the time.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a terrible liar?" he asked coyly, she looked up suddenly and saw the little grin on his face. "I suppose this is something I'm not privileged enough to know?"

"No one knows." She admitted.

"Must be bad."

"I guess….I really think we should call it a night." He looked her deep in eyes, as he nodded his head.

"Can you ride?" He asked her suddenly.

"Uh…yah"

"Good, would you like to?" 

"Pardon?"

"Come up to my ranch, Ayane would love to see you." He said impishly. "And if that doesn't work for you my mares are getting bored." He gave her a devilish grin, she just shook her head and started laughing.

"Alright."

"Good how does 7:30 sound?"

"Isn't that a bit late?" She asked a little surprised.

"In the morning."

"And again isn't that a bit late?" She asked arching an eyebrow.

"Don't tell me you're a morning person." He said in sham disgust. 

"Yup."

"Imagine that, an owl and a lark." He grinned at her for a long minute, before he called for the bill.

                                                           ****

Serena lay in bed long after the date was over, playing back every word he'd said, listening in silence to the low treble of his voice play over and over again in her mind. She smiled happily to herself; she was in deep she thought. She placed a protective hand over her belly, even if he got bored of her, at least she'd have more memories like tonight to grow old on, and his baby to love. She closed her eyes and feel asleep, wondering about what tomorrow was going to be like. She silently prayed that his horses were well trained, but she suspected they were. 

Next-door Sammy grinned to himself, with the knowledge that their date had obviously gone well if his sister, had come home with a smile on after the huge blow out she and their mother had had. He hoped everything turned out all right for them, he loved his sister very much, and if she loved Darien, well then he best love her back. He closed his eyes on menacing thoughts of what he'd do to Darien if he didn't love her. 

                                                                  ****

Darien pulled Ayane close; the little girl had slept with him every night since Serena had left. He wondered how happy the little girl would be when she found out that Serena was coming over, probably very. It would be one hell of a surprise. He'd been showering Ayane with presents galore ever since they come to Red Brook, this would certainly be the icing on the cake. Like father like daughter he thought, as he brushed her dark hair of her face. He kissed her forehead, and closed his eyes on the image of Serena, himself, Ayane and 2 little babies.

Ayane was dreaming of her new family, daddy, Serena, and…. Zack, the little boy with the pretty eyes, and shinny cars. She missed him, but she missed Serena more. She missed Mina too, she'd looked a lot like Serena, and she'd been a lot of fun, and playing with Zack everyday had been fun too, but having Serena braid her hair, and play dolls with her meant a lot more. It meant family, it meant happy. She smiled in her sleep as she thought about her birthday that was only a few days off. She wondered what kind of surprise daddy had for her. What ever it was it would be a lot better than father Rick's 'surprise' on her last birthday. She shuttered as she moved closer to her daddy, he'd protect her, like he'd promised to, forever and ever. 

Forever and ever was starting to sound really good to Darien…. he wondered if he'd still feel the same tomorrow….

                                                              ****

In fact he did, the mere sight of Serena was enough to make him go wild with fantasies. He daydreamed that they were a family, that he'd married Serena instead of that witch Valessa, that Ayane was their daughter, not just his. They spent most of the day out on the range. 

It would have continued to be a peaceful day had an uninvited guest not showed up. A very irritated, agitated and about to be murdered, Zoey showed up at Darien front door just as they were sitting down to dinner.

"Zoey what the hell are you doing here?" Darien asked absolutely annoyed.

"I…well…that is to say…. I came for a little vacation okay? I don't have the keys to the guesthouse at the ranch; I know you have a spare so hand it over" Zoey barked angrily.

"What ever you say, I'm sure it has nothing to do with Ami, anyway I don't have the keys, let me guess Rei and Jaden won't let you in?" 

"The hell they won't, they won't leave me alone, I am not staying in the main house to save my life! I'd sooner sleep in the barn!"

"At the rate you're going you might just have to, I'm serious Zoey, Rei had mine copied but she never gave them back, why don't you just ask them, I mean it is their ranch…"

"I already did, they said that if they let me have the guest house I'd just spend every night drunker than a hobo on Christmas, as if I have any reason to get drunk." He said tersely. Darien could almost smile and the man, he was lying through his teeth, he had plenty of reasons to get drunk, and Rei and Jaden were right not to let him stay in the guest house, although being around the happy, expecting couple was probably going to drive Zoey insane.

"Okay well you can stay here if you want." He really didn't mind Zoey in his house, just not right now.

"Just as long as you don't have-" As he said the sentence Serena, came up behind Darien to see who was at the door. "a pretty blonde in your house." He finished, rolling his eyes. "Is just me or is everyone shacking up?" He said throwing his arms up in the air. 

"Well Malcolm's not." Darien said pointedly. 

"And I wouldn't come near him even if I had a gun in my hand and he was tied down to the floor, he's been…uh moody lately." He said uncomfortably.

"Really I'm sure this has nothing to do with a certain secretary of mine that you drove out of the state…again?"

"Well…uh…. look it's not important what broke Malcolm's tenuous connection with sanity, the point is I don't want to go near him, to be honest I almost don't blame Mina for running from him, that man is boarder line psychotic!"  Zoey said firmly.

"Only when you hurt the people he cares about you moron, hasn't it occurred to you that maybe you ought to control that hole you call a mouth around Ami?" Darien asked coldly.

"Alright I'll admit I'm a jackass but she's not exactly an angel! Besides I didn't do anything." He said angrily. "And frankly I think it's a little presumptions of you to think that I would deliberately…"

"Stop before you hurt yourself, I'm surprised you haven't had some kind of brain overload using all those words with more than 2 syllables."

"I don't use them because unlike you I have nothing to compensate for!" 

"You know the barn is calling your name Zoey." Darien warned. 

"Alright fine, even living with you would be better than living with the 'kissing-tons', my god when did my brother get so disgustingly cute!"

"Around the same time you started to realize that not all women think you're the irresistible god of the bedroom. I'm not going to let you stay in my guesthouse, I really don't want my daughter to see you butt naked, drunk and singing some obscene Spanish drinking song, which I know would end up happening unless your under constant supervision!" 

"Why the hell do you all think I'm going to get drunk? Have you ever seen my drunk?"

"Oh gee, freshmen year…"

"That was only once."

"It was the entire year, you were crowned the king of hammered." Darien recalled pleasantly.

"Shut up, that was a bad year." He said darkly.

"I'm surprised you can even remember It." he commented off-handily.

" Shut up, I swear I wanted to make you ride an unbroken horse the first time I met you, but right now I'd prefer shooting you, more direct and to the point, besides I can be sure your dead this way!"

"Oh that hurts me, I guess I'll just have my billions to make up for the loss of your friendship, how will I ever survive." He said sarcastically.

"Whatever Volpe, you'd miss me and you know it, I'd better go break it to 'Mr. And Mrs. Grossly in love' I'll be by in a couple of hours, sorry I interrupted your…um…date, I suppose if I find a sock on you doorknob I should sleep in the barn?" He asked innocently, to which Darien hit him in the arm, giving him a look that could have killed him. "Tough crowd." He muttered walking away. Darien shook his head as he closed the door, and turned to face Serena.

"Sock?" she asked amiably. 

"Old university thing." 

"What does it mean?" 

"Uh…well…it means I'm getting lucky so go away." He said awkwardly. "Zoey may look like a man, but he's as immature as they come, he's got a mind like a horse's ass." He said mirthlessly. 

"My friend Lita's sort of like that, she can think of something dirty for any word in the English…why are you looking at me like that?" She asked for his mouth was slightly open and his eyes were widened.

"Lita Juniper Krux?"

                                                                ****

Nathan rolled over in his bed. He wondered how much longer he could fake sleep, not much he decided. He inversely cursed Zoey for his big mouth, which pushed away Ami, which made Malcolm run after her, which made Zoey jealous so he ran after her too; because now all the excitement was gone. Gone straight to Texas, he sighed this was going to be a boring week.

 The sudden ringing of his door ended his charade, as he got up, to answer it. He was only in his P.J bottoms, and who ever were at the door was going to get an eye full, with his tousled hair, and slightly sleep hooded eyes. He opened the door to see a pretty brunette in a black skirt suit, with a pale green shirt under. He vaguely registered how the color brought out her pretty dark green eyes. He recanted his first impression that she was pretty; she was a lot more than that. 

"Morning." He said pleasantly.

"Uh hi, I'm sorry I hope I didn't wake you up, but I'm Mrs. Ivy Rich's lawyer, I have a subpoena for you." She said holding out an envelope. His sudden and very masculine appearance had put knocked her off guard.

"And why exactly do I get one of these?" he asked a little stunned. She was something to look at he thought, her suit clung to her figure lovingly, and he thought that he might like to be it.

"Because Mrs. Rich would like to turn the court room into a three ring circus, and lord knows if I don't help her do it she'll find some other way, you can burn that if you want, or you could give a tired lawyer a break and show up…" She said hopefully. Her little smile had the oddest effect on his body, it contracted suddenly, he arched an eyebrow that had never happened before, well not that strong anyways.

"How long have you been at this?" He asked her curiously, because now that he looked closer she looked exhausted. 

"Lets see, in about an hour it'll be three days since I became her personal postal worker." She sighed miserably. She didn't know why she was telling him this, but she had a strong suspicion it had something to do with his bare chest. It was a little to muscular and toned for comfort. That and his big bright blue eyes, they were shinning right now, and she felt her heart flutter, as he looked her in the eyes.

"Why don't you just quit?" 

"I can't I'm court appointed, besides the judge refuses to listen to me, not that I blame him mind, no one else within a hundred miles of Boston wants to come near this case." She smiled shrugging her shoulders, "I guess I don't mind being beaten to a bloody pulp or anything of that nature." Considering who the Riches' were it seemed possible that some kind of harm would be fall her for taking the case. Ivy Rich was the heiress of some huge fortune, and Greg Rich was a ruthless businessman who wouldn't think twice about capsizing a defenseless woman for money. 

"You ought to have a body guard or something." He was slightly disturbed by the idea of her being alone and defenseless. 

"I did have one, I called him my boyfriend, but he ran with his tail between his legs when he found out what I had to do." She wrinkled her nose with disgust. "You'd think I killed someone." 

"Knowing the Riches' it might come to that." He said sadly.

"Lucky, lucky me, I better be going, I have about a hundred more of these to deliver, it was nice meeting you Mr. Summer." That somehow had a bad effect on Nathan; he didn't like the idea of her leaving.

"Nathan." He corrected.

"Nathan it is." She said with a little grin that lit up her already glowing face.

"I didn't catch your name."

"Lita." 

"Well Lita may I ask you something?" He asked with a helpless little smile, which made his face seem ten years younger.

"Sure?"

"How did you get past security?" She smiled as she pointed down to her feet. He looked down to see a pair of runners. He looked back up at her with a confused smile.

"They thought I was an overdressed courier." She explained. "I must say it would be so easy to serve you divorce papers."

"It would be if I were married." He smirked at her. And she couldn't hardly stop herself from smiling.

"Ah well give me a call when you an you're girlfriend start getting serious, I'll write up you pre-nup." She said with a little wink.

"Oh I will once I get a girlfriend that is." He sighed wistfully, because Lita was already having an effect on him, and he'd only known her name for less than 5 minutes.

"So I'll see you in a week?" She said sarcastically, to which he laughed. "I really do have to go…" His presence was getting a little disturbing. 

"Well it was nice talking to you, hopefully next time I see you, you're not jumping through a ring of fire." 

"Knowing Mrs. Rich I probably will." She sighed. "Bye, sorry about waking you up."

"No worries, I'm part insomniac anyways. Bye" She smiled as she turned to walk away. Nathan watched her walk admiring it sweet sensuality of it. And then it occurred to him that he had no clue what her last name was, or if he'd ever really see her again, well he's just have to go to the trial and…follow her home?

Lita smiled to herself as she walked out of the building, well that was pleasant…alright maybe it was a lot more than pleasant, Nathan Summer was sure as hell a beautiful specimen of a man, and god did he ever have a gorgeous…uh everything actually. She wondered what he'd look like naked, she blushed inversely at the direction her thoughts were taking; she was acting like a teen with a crush on some star…

She kept walking towards her car, her feet were killing her from all the stupid walking she had to do, damn Boston's traffic, maybe Serena had been right to go back to Texas. She gritted her teeth, as she remembered her best friend's tearful voice as she told her what had happened, Lita had a dark urge to pop Volpe one for hurting her; he didn't deserve Serena! Rich moron had sluts throwing themselves at him and he'd had to go after Serena, jerk!  

Well she'd make him pay or her name wasn't Lita Juniper Krux!" 

(A/n: doesn't this seem like a soap opera moment? You know with the music that goes 'du-dah-duh-dum', I'm sorry this one took so long, but I had no inspiration…so please review!! Thanks to all my reviewers and such, u guys are the best, plus everyone on my mailing list! U guyz are the da bomb! Well anyways it's like 1:05 and I need to sleep! Although I don't think I deserve sleep not being able to write romance on Valentines day? @_# that's all I have to say! ^_~ review to keep me sane ppl!)


	11. Chapter nine

**Chapter Nine **

****

Malcolm's fingers slid delicately over the keys of his piano. He closed his eyes, and began to play 'Sweetly and softly'. His fingers found the keys, and his heart got lost in the song.

This song was his favorite, the first and last song his mother ever played to him. He grimaced as he missed the key. He opened his eyes and stared down at his hands. He frowned for a minute, before starting a new song. This one was the song Mina had been singing the night they'd first met. The song she'd been playing on his piano. 'Mirror Image' He hummed the tune as he played it.

"You know it sounds a lot better when it's sung." Ami whispered from behind the doorway.

"I hate this song." He muttered darkly, slamming the dome over the keys.

"You always told me never to do that." She pointed out.

"Well it's my damn piano if I want to set it on fire then I will! Besides when I taught you to play I never let you touch it."

"You never let anyone touch it." She said bitterly. "Well almost"

"And look what a mess it got me in." He shot.

"You mean unrequited love?"

"Yes, I deserve this, I deserve unhappiness. But it doesn't make me any less bitter."

"How do you deserve this?"

"Don't you worry about my thinking, how about some breakfast?" He asked as he got off the bench and walked towards his kitchen.

"Yah I'll make some."

"The hell you will, you're a guest, and besides I kidnapped a chef!"

"Freak." She laughed shaking her head.

"What did you call me?" He asked in sham anger.

"I believe I called you a freak." He glared at her for a minute, before grabbing her and half tackling her on the floor.

"Care to repeat that."

"Freak." She said defiantly.

"Oh you so shouldn't have done that." He said as he began to tickle her. She squeaked as she roared with insuppressible laughter. "Repeat after me, Malcolm…"

"M…Malcolm" She stammered in between huge fits of laughter.

"Is not"

"I…is n…not…"

"A freak!"

"S…straight." She roared fighting back the forced laughter.

"Oh now you've done it." He said with an evil smile.

"No…no stop!" she yelled as she fought his increased tickling.

"Then say it!"

"F…fine…you're…not…a…freak" she fought out.

"Good girl." He smirked as he let her go. She got up off the floor and wiped the tears of mirth out of her eyes.

"That's not fair, just cause you're a mammoth…"

"It's not my fault you're a dainty little kitten." He pointed out.

"Damn my mother!" She roared in sham anger. He shook his head as he started to laugh. Ami grinned at him. Malcolm had found Ami in her cousin's house, her only living relative. She'd agreed to come and stay with him out of fear that someone else might find her as well. And Malcolm had never had as much fun in his entire life…. no since Mina walked out if it. He sighed; he would never be over Mina.

"So let me get this straight, you know L.J Krux?" Darien prodded, completely taken back.

"Yup, you know her too?" Serena wasn't sure if she liked the idea, she knew what Lita did, the woman had a natural knack for finding things, or in most cases people, she wondered if that's how Darien knew her.

"As in the private investigator?" He asked ignoring her question; the idea was a little scary, although it certainly made sense, considering L.J's response to his request to help him find Serena.

"Yes, I'm guessing she did some job for you?" She asked with a little grin.

"Well…uh…you could say that." He said uncomfortably, he wasn't ready to reveal that just yet.

"Don't worry about it, a lot of people use her services, I have too." She admitted with a little smile.

"Can I ask?"

"Only if you tell me what she did for you." She teased. He smiled oddly.

"Some day I'll tell you." He promised.

"I could just ask her."

"You could, but then you'd never hear the story that goes with it." He pointed out, a little unnerved.

"You know I'm joking right? Your entitled to your secrets."

"I'll trade you mine for yours." He only half joked.

"Tempting, but I don't think you could handle my secrets."

"Don't tell me you're a drug dealer, and you've killed someone and your just posing as a sweet, innocent nanny." He said in fake seriousness.

"No of course not! I'm a drug manufacturer!" She told him with the softest twinkle in her pretty blue eyes.

"You never cease to amaze me Ms. Lane." He said reverently.

"Why do you say that?" She asked a little confused.

"Oh I could tell you, but what fun would that be, you've got to give me something in return." He said playfully.

"Like?"

"Umm…a kiss?" he said arching an eyebrow.

"What kind of kiss?"

" I can't tell you in front of Ayane now can I?" He said smiling devilishly.

"Oh one of those." She mumbled blushing slightly.

"Is it a deal?"

"I don't see how this is a fair deal." She said in sham annoyance.

"No?"

"Well I get to find out why I never stop amazing you, and I get to kiss you, what do you get out of this?" She asked arching an eyebrow; he shook his head laughing. He reached out and pulled her against him. He looked down into her pretty eyes as he smiled.

"You are so beautiful it's almost eerie." He whispered to her. "Every time I think I have you pegged, you go and do something to blow that image to hell, you fascinate me."

"How?" She asked a little breathlessly, he was the closest he'd been to her since…damn her mind couldn't even grasp how long it had been since she'd last been in his arms. Everything was a little blurry…a little too blurry. And then everything went black; as Serena fell the last thing she was aware of, was being caught more securely by a pair of very strong arms.

Darien picked Serena up, panic clinging at his heart; she'd just fainted in his arms. Just like that, one minute they'd been flirting, the next she'd gone down. He took her into the study and lay her down on his black leather couch. He felt her pulse, and then watched her breathing to make sure it was even. His heart was sitting very uncomfortably in his throat. Everything was normal, as if she'd just fallen asleep. He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently, he held it loving the softness of it, the pleasant weight of it, and then it tightened around his. He almost jumped in surprise. He looked up at her face, she was still unconscious, and he brushed her hair away from her closed eyes. He gazed at her beauty, sighing to himself.

"My angel." He whispered brushing her lips with his, and then he got up from his spot and moved her fingers away from his hand. He walked away, turning once he got to the door to look at her. "I don't know what you do to me, but I won't ever let you go." He whispered to her. Then he walked into the main hall and called Dr. Baker.

Zoey crept along the wall of his room. Making sure not to make any noise. Sure he'd told Darien he'd tell the 'Disgusting-tons' that he was leaving. But that was suicide. Jaden would insist…no make him stay with them. Because Darien wasn't very stable, apparently he'd forgotten to mention Serena to them. Not that Zoey blamed him, Jaden was insanely in love, and wanted everyone else to be too. Insane was right.

He opened him closet, and started to shove his clothes into his black duffel bag. Next he sneaked into his washroom, and threw his toothbrush, shaving kit, hair care products (gel, shampoo, and deep conditioning conditioner) and lastly his skin care products into his bag. Then with the tenacity of a ninja, he slid out of his washroom, into his room, and towards the balcony. He pushed the doors opened, and then threw his bag down to the ground. He stared at the 2-story drop, held his breath, climbed over the railing on to the thin edge. He swallowed as he prepared to jump.

"Zoey what the hell are you doing?" Jaden suddenly yelled from behind him, startling Zoey off the edge on to the stacked hay that he'd purposely placed to break his fall.

"Success!! Freedom! Sweet freedom!" Zoey screamed as he did a victory dance around the bail of hay.

"Oh my god, hold on I'll be right down!" Jaden yelled.

"The hell I will, I'm leaving! And there's nothing you can do about it!" He screamed back, as he took off towards his truck.

"Someone stop Zoey! He's drunk!" Jaden yelled out to the ranch hands. They proceeded to chasing Zoey, who was running as if his life depended on it.

"Stay away! I'm not drunk! But I do have rabies and I'll bite you!!!" He screeched as he ran faster. He was wishing he'd packed less, when out of nowhere the solid form of Yaten smashed into him. Zoey took him down with him, then got up and started to run again. Screaming out a hurried apology. He managed to get into his truck and start it when he released a sporty BMW was blocking his way. He was about to back up when he saw Jaden in his way.

"Get out of the truck Zoey!"

"Get out of my way Jay, I don't want to run you over but so help me I will!"

"Zoey…"

"Jay do you really want 'Was run over by his brother, who then backed up and did it again' on your tomb stone?"

"Zoey get the hell out of the truck, I don't want to have to shoot you!" Jaden yelled, holding up the shotgun in his hands.

"Would you both calm down?" Yaten yelled out.

"No! Zoey's drunk…"

"No I'm not, I just want away from you and your nasty lovey-dovey stuff!"

"It annoys you that I'm affectionate with my wife? Would you rather I was like our father?" Jaden yelled tersely.

"No! But do you have to rub it in my face?" Zoey growled angrily.

"I'm not rubbing anything in your face!"

"Get out of my way Jaden!"

"No!"

"I'm going to stay with Darien!"

"No your not, you're my damn brother…"

"And I'm not five!"

"Well your acting it!"

"Guys…" Yaten interrupted.

"Stay out of this!" Jaden and Zoey yelled at him.

"What are you two doing?" Rei's sweetly angered voice asked.

"Stopping Zoey from driving under the influence." Jaden told his wife calmly.

"Oh that's it!" Zoey murmured angrily, as he started to back up. Jaden Jumped out of the way, as Zoey maneuvered the car.

"Zoey!!" Rei and Jaden yelled in unison. But he wasn't listening, he didn't care. Freedom was almost his, as he drove out of the driveway. His heart was soaring; it reminded him of his good old high school days, running off with some girl into the dark. He remembered coming home at all hours of the night to a rope hanging out of a bedroom window for him to sneak back into the house. Followed by a lazy morning telling his poor old mother that he just didn't feel up to school. Those were the days. He sighed despite himself, there was no girl this time, there would be no rope waiting for him, and he certainly wouldn't get away Scott-free. Jaden would be calling Darien up right now, giving him hell. And poor delicate Rei would be weeping to her brother some sob story…. he laughed to himself about the ridiculousness of the thought. Jaden didn't have it in him to give Darien hell, very few people did. And Rei would never weep to her brother; on the contrary **_she'd_** be giving him hell. He whistled through his teeth, what a mess he'd gotten into. Oh well it was over now.

Rei frowned at the back of the truck that was rapidly disappearing in the horizon. She sighed as she shook her head. Maybe staying would Darien would be better than staying with them, after all being around them must have been making him sick for Ami. She smiled at the thought. Poor Zoey always the heartbreaker, now it was his turn to have his broken. In any case Darien wouldn't let him get drunk on account of his little girl, and maybe being around the depressing older man might help push him in the right direction, maybe just maybe Zoey Connor would stop being a bloody fool, after all miracles did happen right?

"Mrs. Connor, I hate to interrupt…" The familiar voice, make her grin with untold delight.

"Yaten Christopher Miller, the sunshine on my little black rain clouds!" She half shrieked with glee, as she opened her arms to the light haired man. He smiled warmly as he enveloped her in a delicate embrace.

"Hey there buttercup, I missed you." He smiled as he let her go.

"Well I had a phone you know, wouldn't have killed you to call me!" She growled at the man. Who simply grinned.

"Pregnant or not Ma-am I do believe your giving me the vapors!" He said with an odd little gesture of swooning.

"Come now we all heard about your little crush on Ms. Lane."

"Aw, you know you always have a place in my heart little darling." He said winking an eye at her.

"I'll keep that in mind, but be careful not to say that to old money bags in there, don't want him writing me out of the will now do we. Remember the plan, I get his money, and you get the beautiful kids!" She stage whispered with a devious sugar sweet smile that was so obviously fake. Rei was helplessly in love with her husband, nothing short of death could even make her think of life without him.

"Well I haven't been able to get my hands on a beautiful wife, what with you being married!" He raged in sham with the same devastating smile, which was already making Rei's neighbor Mrs. Hellene Lavern swoon, who was currently watching the whole affair from behind her fence. Mrs. Lavern had married young and never product any children, when Mr. Lavern, several years her senior died. Now only in her early forties Mrs. Lavern was a notorious eavesdropper and if the rumors were to be believed the owner of '_Kiki's kinky Kats'_ the new strip club, whose owner was unknown. The thought was laughable, because the woman was such a gossip, and very solid about morals and such, that she'd never be able to stand the scandal.

It made Rei laugh the degree of hypocrisy the snake tongued woman had. Even now she was ogling Yaten, wondering what the devastatingly handsome man might look like nude. Oh the scandal, that the poor widow should think such things was unspeakable! Rei laughed inversely at the stupidity of it all, the woman had never remarried, never accepted the many, many proposals that had come her way. Saying it was a shame for them to marry her, as if she was some kind of harlot. As it stood the fool woman was standing behind the small fence, trying to catch Rei's eye. Rei knew very well that the woman was there, knew very well what she was trying to do. But the bat could forget it; she was not introducing Yaten to her.

"My heads on fire." Yaten said calmly to her. She brought her eyes back to his face, to see him smile devilishly at her. "Lost in thought?"

"No it's the pregnancy, I can't seem to multitask. I swear it on heaven with each pregnancy I lose brain cells."

"I blame Jaden!"

"You would blame the father, predictable, still trying to steal away my wife are we?" Jaden smiled at Yaten as they shook hands, then he walked to his wife and pulled her close to his side. At one time Jaden had been insanely jealous at the connection the handsome man shared with his wife. But he'd learned better, Yaten loved Rei, and Rei loved Yaten. They were like brother and sister, having met as children, long before Darien knew that Yaten and Malcolm were brother. They were close, but he hadn't known how close, until he'd asked her in a state of dark rage. Only to be told the extend of it. Yaten had given her, her very first kiss. He'd held her close when she'd cried about her mother, and he'd promised to be there for her forever. Things that drove him beyond the point of sanity, but that was a long time ago. Along painful time ago.

"I'd love to steal her, but I don't fancy what her brother, mine and you will do to me if I ever did." He grinned smoothly.

"Oh Malcolm won't beat you much." Rei said amused.

"Of course not, it's not like he'd be looking for an excuse to kill me for screwing up his life." He said sarcastically.

"You didn't ruin his life." Rei said defensively.

"Oh but I did, maybe if he'd known the truth he'd have been more tactful in his pursuit of Mina, he might have even realized he loved her before it was too late." He sighed wistfully.

"You ought to be flogged for placing that blame on yourself." Rei said threateningly. Before she turned to her husband. "So what did Darien have to say?"

"I wouldn't know, the phone was busy and when I finally got through he sounded…. furious."

In fact he was. Furious actually didn't describe how he felt just then. He wanted to scream, then he wanted to wail, then he wanted…god he didn't know what he wanted to do then. She was pregnant! And the little fool hadn't told him. She'd kept it from him, and damn it why? Did she think he'd be furious when he found out? Angry with her somehow...as though it was her fault? Or maybe she thought he'd make her get rid of the baby. He almost threw up at the thought.

The look on Serena's face when she came to, and caught the tail end of the conversation between Dr. Baker and Darien was horrifying. She'd actually started shaking; she'd gotten of the sofa, nauseated. And made a run for the bathroom. She was still in there, weeping like a hurt child. She was sitting next to the commode, her knees against her chest rocking as the tears flooded down her face. He'd never want to see her again. He'd never trust her again. Forget meeting the real Darien, he'd never let her close. Damn Dr. Baker damn her!! She'd promised, that she wouldn't tell. She'd promised. Serena wept, and wept. She'd have to leave Red Brook, she knew it, if anyone else found out, anyone else her family reputation was down the tubes. God her mother was already ill how would she react to the news, if the doctor told Darien, who else had she?

"Serena…come out." Darien's voice called threw the door. She almost flinched at the ice in his tone.

"I still feel sick." She mumbled. It was partially true she felt sick all right, sick enough to strangle herself.

"Then open the door…"

"No" she said firmly.

"Damn it Serena, you can't stay in there forever." His voice was filled with subdued anger.

"Go away Darien, please, I feel like someone threw me down a flight of stairs and I'm still falling." She muttered, as she fought another wave of nausea.

"Well I don't intend to let you keep falling, come out of there, I'll make you some tea or something." His voice was strained; he was going to kill her! Not literally obviously, but with his words, Serena felt it. She swallowed down the lump of emotion in her throat. He didn't want the baby, and he hated Serena now, for sure. That cut like a knife.

"Go away Darien, I'm way too sick to move." She mumbled.

"The hell you are, don't make me break down this door Serena!" His voice was actually shaking. She swallowed hard; did she dare go out to face him? She knew he'd never hurt her, but he was madder than hell, and she was terribly intimidated by him. She closed her eyes and held on to a vague hope that this was all a horrible nightmare. She swore to god, if it was and she should wake up she'd tell Darien, she swore it with all her might. But she knew it was real.

Darien was a wreck; even as he tried to get her out of the washroom, he was glad that she couldn't see him. He was shaking, not with anger but with fear. He was terrified of what Serena might have done to keep him in the dark about her pregnancy. Terrified of the life his baby might have had without a father. He actually shuttered at the thought of Serena marrying some man to give her baby a name. But mostly he was terrified of the fact that he wasn't even fazed by the thought of her being pregnant with his child. Quite the contrary he was actually pleased by the fact. Now Ms. Lane could never get away from him. Inside he felt like doing a handstand. And that terrified him more than anything else ever had. Not even that horrifying night all those years ago…he closed his eyes, as he imagined the same cruel fate happening to Serena, and realized darkly how close she had come to that.

Serena stood up and walked towards the door, her hands trembling. She took a deep breath in, carefully hiding all her fear. She prepared herself to face the angry man outside. She placed her now more controlled hand on the doorknob, and opened it. What she saw before her almost made her want to jump off a bridge. Darien's eyes were haunting blue, he was ghostly pale, but his face was all business. He looked down at her, his eyes losing their haunting quality and turning to ice.

"I…" She began helplessly.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He asked her angrily.

"I…" She felt like she was standing trial with a raging bull ready to rip her apart. He was furious that she was pregnant. He blamed her.

"Let me guess you weren't thinking! Damn it Serena, you should have told me! For the love of god!" He growled at her furiously. "You went horse riding, you could have been hurt, never mind the fact that you obviously shouldn't be putting any strain on yourself!" Serena stared at him for a minute, stunned into absolute silence. He didn't blame her, he was furious, but behind that was a very worried man. She almost fainted for a second time as the look in his eyes registered. He was petrified. Instinctively, Serena held out her arms for him, a soulful look in her eyes. Darien gritted his teeth together, but he gave in nonetheless. He went into her arms without protest. She held him, loving the warmth of him against her. She closed her eyes as she savored it. Being in Darien's arms was wonderful, but holding him in hers was something else.

"I'm sorry I scared you." She whispered delicately.

"You ought to be, I'm old enough as it is without looking it. Woman you are going to turn me gray." He scolded gently. He held her close, taking in the soft comfort she offered, and giving his own. Suddenly he felt the wetness against his chest. He lifted her chin up to see her pretty face covered in tears. "Don't cry Serena, I'm sorry I yelled at you, but god you had me scared to death."

"It's not that, I'm afraid I've made a mess of your life." She whispered.

"It took two of us to make that baby Serena, and it didn't mess up my life…I wanted children once, before Valessa. But she ruined that for me, and then after Ayane and you my life is so much sweeter, so much brighter. I like kids, I seem to make very good kids, if Ayane is any indication." He smiled down at her. "You scared the life out of me, I thought maybe you were sick, and then to find out you were really carrying my child, and lord only knows what you'd been doing to yourself."

"There's something else…you weren't just afraid of the physical strain were you?" She said softly reading him as though he were a book.

"You read me too well, I suppose I should get use to that." He said enigmatically. But Serena didn't bite.

"Don't avoid the question, what else is bothering you?" She asked firmly.

"My, my a minute ago you were crying your eyes out in that washroom, aren't we suddenly brave?"

"Darien!" She warned. He sighed; he knew he'd have to tell her eventually. He smirked despite himself.

"Alright, I was afraid you'd do something stupid, like marry some idiot to save your child the horror of being a bastard." He replied evenly. "Or else end you pregnancy"

"Why would I do a thing like that?" She demanded.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" He challenged. She sighed.

"Because I thought you'd never want this baby, and I loved it to much to ever let anyone even the man I loved make it feel unwanted." She told his feet.

"You love me?" He whispered, lifting her chin. She blushed scarlet as she tried to look away. "Do you?" He asked firmly.

"Yes…with all my heart." She said fiercely. He looked into her beautiful eyes with a sweet and mysterious smile on his face. "Then it's settled."

"What is?"

"Our marriage of course." He said calmly. Serena almost went down for the loop, her feet gave under her, but Darien caught her before she fell. "Darling I think you need to take more supplements, this pregnancy is making you very light on your feet."

"I…I must be going crazy cause I could have sworn you just said our Marriage." She stammered.

"Oh your not, I did. Would you like a church wedding?" He asked her calmly. Serena was shaking like a leaf unable to believe the incredible things he was saying. He led her to a chair and placed her in it. "In which case we ought to get married soon, before you start showing."

"H…have you lost your mind?" She was dreaming, or worse she was dead and in heaven. That had to be it she told herself. She'd died in that washroom.

"Of course not, I didn't have a mind to begin with." He told her dryly. She stared at him, utterly lost for words. "Uh Serena that was a joke. Lighten up. How do you feel about next Tuesday?" He asked with a trace of humor in his voice.

"I…you…are…" She couldn't even string together a sentence.

"Not quite the reaction I was hoping for, but it will do." He smiled at her. "Why are you so shocked."

"Your asked me to marry you, out of nowhere…it's so sudden." She could hardly believe she was protesting.

"It won't seem so sudden in a few months Serena." So that was his game, he was trying to help her save face. She loved Darien hopelessly, she'd do anything for him, even protect him from herself. She couldn't let him marry her to bail her out.

"No Darien I can't marry you." She said gently.

"You can and you will, you love me, you're carrying my child, you love my daughter, and you love this ranch already."

"That's not enough."

"There are people who married for less, Serena I'll take care of you, I would never hurt you." __

"You'd never love me either, you'd hate me for trapping you in a marriage you didn't want. This isn't the stone age I can have this baby out of wedlock and none would care."

"Beside you! Face it Serena you'd never be able to live with yourself if you had this baby out of wedlock. You're still ashamed of conceiving it out of wedlock. And it's not a trap if I walk into it willingly handing you the rope to tie me with!"

"I'm not ashamed of conceiving it, I knew I loved you, even if my mind hadn't caught up with my body. I don't care if you tie yourself up now, you'll still hate it later, you hate marriage, you hate the idea of being tied down to something forever." She said forcing back the tears that threatened to spill.

"I did before. But incase you hadn't noticed I am tied down to something, Ayane! And I love it."

"That's different, Ayane's your daughter, your own flesh and blood. You can't help but love it because you love her. Me and my child would be nothing but a mistake you made one night." She broke down on the last statement. What was to her the most beautiful experience in her young life was probably nothing more that a regret to him.

"Don't," He said gently wiping away the tears. "Don't make it sound like that, that night was perfect, it was beautiful. I've never felt anything like that; it was incredible, beyond compare. Any child that came out of that cannot be a mistake. Serena you gave me your virginity that night, something so precious, and all I gave you in return was a burden. That child is mine, and you are mine as well, and if you don't marry me I'll hog tie you and drag you to the church anyway!"

"It isn't a burden, it could never be that. I figured if I couldn't have you to love, then I'd love your child instead." His breath caught at the sincerity and tenderness of the words. He brushed his lips against hers in a delicate kiss.

"Marry me Serena. You won't regret it" He whispered against her lips.

"You might." She whispered breathlessly.

"Never."

"Promise, no matter what?"

"No regrets Serena, never with you."

"I'll marry you." She whispered. He caught her nape as he tilted her head up. He crushed her lips with his tasting her sweetness. She trembled against his hard mouth, but gave him what he wanted. She gave into him with a tiny moan deep in her throat. He teased her lips apart nibbling on the full lower one. As her arms slid around his neck and her finger laced against his hair. He slid his tongue into her mouth, touching and tasting hers. His thumb brushing the corner of her lips. The kiss seemed to go on forever, getting more and more feverish. His tongue stabbed into the darkness of her mouth blatantly duplicating lovemaking. His head was reeling, he wanted her so bad and it had been so long since their last kiss. So long, her sweetness drove him over the edge. She trembled with the dept of the kiss. The sweet nearness of him, and the rage of sensation her surrender had brought. He wasn't just kissing her; he was loving her, adoring her mouth, destroying her link to reality. She was going over, she was lost to his touch; remember the rush of feeling his body pressed to hers. The feel of his manhood doing to her body what his tongue was doing to her mouth. She trembled as she gave him more, more than even he imagined she could. He loved her mouth until her lips were swollen, and he'd have continued to had the door not rang.

Actually it had taken about 5 or 6 rings of the infernal doorbell before Darien heard it. He'd been getting drunk of the taste of her. Her absence had only deepened his need for her. He realized then how long it had been since he'd kissed her like that. But the damned door kept ringing and he could ignore it no longer. He looked into her half closed eyes that were filled with sultry magic. Her lips were swollen from the kiss, and she was having troubles breathing. But he looked no better, he was sure his own lips were swollen, and his hair was a mess, her hands had found their way into it. And to add he was throbbing with need for her.

"Darien…" She whispered softly.

"Don't." He said softly.

"Don't?" She was having trouble thinking.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm already burning." He said roughly. As he got up to answer the door, Serena stared after him her heart in her eyes.

Darien opened the door with murder on his face. He could have strangled Zoey when he saw him standing there on his front step.

"Aren't we the sight Mr. Volpe? Looks as though you had some…uh…fun?" He arched an eyebrow at the man, as he looked him up and down.

"I ought to have shot you when I had the chance, you're a real pain in the ass. Oh and for the record what I do with my fiancé in the privacy of my own house is none of your damn business."

"Fiancé? Your dying aren't you? You only have a few months left to live…or she's dying…."

"No one is dying…."

"You knocked her up!" Zoey exclaimed. Darien actually twitched, his fist clenched at his side, and in one lithe movement he pushed Zoey out on to the front step and followed him out. His eyes burning with dark intent, he was going to kill Zoey. Do the world a service he figured. He still had a solid grip on Zoey's collar; turned and slammed him into the door. He looked practically evil. Zoey actually cringed.

"Do you remember when we were in university, and you said my sister was hot for a 13 year old?" His voice was radiating with anger. Zoey remember that particular incident, at the time he was furious at Darien for the fact that his girlfriend had dumped him because she was crazy for Darien. He'd wanted to get back, he'd gotten drunk and wanted to start a fight, and when nothing he said seemed to goat Darien into a fight, he'd resorted for a cheap shot. At the one thing Darien loved more than anything else, he'd actually said a lot more than Rei was hot; he'd said that he'd enjoy initiating her. Darien had lost it, but he hadn't said a word, just beaten the living hell out Zoey, when he was done he'd said one very calm sentence: '_Don't ever talk about my sister'_. Then he'd left, and neither of them ever mentioned it again.

"I Remember"

"I'm glad you do, because I'm going to make the beating I gave you that day look like a walk in the park." He looked as though he could just then.

"Calm down Darien. You know I was joking."

"Well it was low even for you."

"I'm sorry I forgot how you react to statements like that."

"You'd do well to remember that next time." He said releasing Zoey from his grasp. As much as he wanted to land Zoey in the hospital he'd end up footing the bill anyways. Besides spending his engagement night in jail was hardly something to be proud of.

"I'm sorry…"

"Ah to hell with it, I know you weren't trying to make a cheap shot. Your just absent minded. Besides your right." He said very calmly.

"Come again? Are you saying she is actually pregnant? That you were going to beat me for guessing the truth?"

"I beat you for lesser reasons before, don't get all offended. Besides that's not the reason I'm marrying her. And don't you go telling Rei and Jaden this yet, Rei will make this a huge event, the media attention would be a bit much for Serena I think. So keep your mouth shut alright?"

"Oh ye of little faith! How could you think I'd tell them…"

"Their madder than hell at you aren't they?" Darien cut him off knowingly.

"Yes" He said sheepishly. "Oh well life could be worse, Malcolm could be standing behind me with a gun." He said cheerfully.

"He could indeed, come on in, and watch your disgusting mouth."

"Oh that hurt, I have manners!"

"Just don't use them often." They walked into the house down the hall and into the living room where Darien had left Serena. He noticed then that Ayane had come back out from her playroom. Darien had sent her there when Serena had passed out, telling her everything would be all right. The little girl had come back to make sure, and was currently sitting on Serena's lap playing with the woman's blond hair.

"Daddy! Serena's ok!" Ayane told him with a huge smile on her little face.

"So she is." He smiled at the little girl. "Come here honey," He said as he held his arms open for his daughter. Ayane got off Serena's lap and ran into his open arms. He picked her up and hugged her close. "We have to talk later okay?"

"Okay." She smiled as she clung to her father. Darien smiled; no matter how often she hugged him like that it still brought him immense pleasure to hold his little girl.

"I hate to interrupt this Kodak moment, but there's this extremely beautiful woman sitting alone in a chair and I'm afraid I don't even know her full name." He smiled devilishly at Serena who couldn't help but smile back.

"She would be Serena Lane, my fiancé. And I'll thank you to remember that."

"Oh someone's grumpy. I hope you know what you're getting into Ms. Lane, waking up to this face every morning might make even the most bravest of women suicide."

"Certainly, to be faced by perfection would make any person feel inadequate." She said sweetly. Both men stared at her as though they were both dumbfounded.

"She's very pretty Darien, but a little blind I think. I think given the right amount of proximity to me her eyesight might come back."

"And if you ever tried to 'improve' her eyesight I'll beat you to your knees and make you wish to god you were gay." He said evenly.

"Oh Darien I'm flattered but I'm sorry I don't feel that way about you." Zoey said innocently.

"I should have shot you, I swear." He said shaking his head. Serena smiled as she got up and took Ayane from Darien's arms.

"If you two are going to keep going with this conversation I don't think Ayane should be hearing it. It was very nice to meet you Mr.…uh…"

"Zoey, just Zoey."

"Zoey it is, thank you but I have to turn you down on your offer to improve my sight, because it's perfectly fine, and unfortunately I only have eyes for this." She said jerking her head in Darien's direction.

"Unfortunate indeed, all the same it was a pleasure to meet you." He smiled pleasantly at her, as she did to him. Then she walked out of the room with Ayane in her arms. "Well she's a keeper, she's obviously insane over you." He said once she was out of earshot.

"She's…everything I ever wanted, or could hope for. To be honest I lucked out, if she wasn't pregnant there would be no chance she'd agree to marry me."

"I highly doubt that, she loves you." He told the older man somberly.

"You are as blind as an old bat when it concerns you, but practically psychic when it comes to anybody else. You don't even think it's possible for Ami to even be attracted to you do you?"

"Lets not talk about Ami, I've had enough of this from Rei and my brother. They say that she loves me, and I know she doesn't. How could she? All we ever do is fight and bicker, and I even miss that. I'm a fool and I know it, don't rub it in." He sighed darkly.

"I won't, but don't go drinking to numb the pain, it's not worth it."

"So I've heard. To be honest I'm looking forward to a long rest."

"As long as it's not in a coffin." Darien said dryly.

"My zeal for life hasn't eroded that much." He smiled wistfully.

"I'll show you to your room livewire. I'm inviting Rei and Jaden over tomorrow after I've made the plans and arrangements for the wedding. And of course Malcolm, be warned it might not be pleasant."

"I know, Yaten's in town, he'll probably cool Malcolm down some."

"Maybe. Come on you look beat." Zoey nodded his head as Darien led him to one of the guestrooms.

Nathan walked up to Darien's office, his office for the time being. While everyone was gone Nathan was in charge. It wasn't hard to do Darien's job, he just needed nerves of steel, and a commandeering personality. Both of which he had. This morning he had at least fifty contracts to look over and then approve. Then he had to talk to some lawyer or other about acquiring a permit to build a store, the second in a chain to come. He had a meeting to go to later that day to talk to some company about a possible buy out and their options. Frankly the company had no choice, except whether the take over would be civil and easy or hostile. His mind was preoccupied and so he barely noticed the brunette sitting in Mina's spot. That is until he came up to her. The brunette was looking down; her sleek hair was cut into a bob that looked elegant and trendy against her creamy skin. He stared at her wondering who she was and why she was at Mina's spot. He frowned a little as he wondered where Mina was. Suddenly the brunette looked up and smiled pleasantly at as ghostly pale Nathan. It **_was_ **Mina!

"What have you done to yourself?" He asked caught between horror and surprise. Mina looked beautiful even without her blond hair, but it was such a stark difference. Her blond hair had been so long and light, and this was so dark and…well short! It framed her face and brought out her…GREEN eyes.

"A friend of mine makes wigs, I wanted to try out this look before I actually did it. What do you think?" She said pleasantly.

"I…your eyes why are they green?"

"Got bored of the blue." She improvised.

"Mina you're not telling me the truth." He said firmly.

"Why would I lie?" She asked nervously.

"It's obvious you're not telling me the truth, I have no idea why you're not, but you're not, so spill the beans. What's going on?"

"I swear I'm just bored of my old look." She said firmly. "Your one O'clock called to cancel, and you had a phone call from a Ms. Molly, she wouldn't give me her last name she said you knew who she was."

"Did she leave a number?" He asked worried.

"Yes she did, here you go." She said handing him a pink sheet with a number on it.

"Thank you. You look better blond and blue eyed Mina." He said as he walked into his office. He knew something was up but she obviously didn't want to talk about it so he'd let her be for a while. But one way or another he'd get it out of her.

Mina actually trembled; it had been so close, so damn close. If Nathan found out why…she quivered. She sat silently at her desk, typing up some form or another. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably, as she smoothed down her short dark hair. Her eyes were horribly irritated from the green contacts. The green top she was wearing was long sleeved and the room was on fire, but still she dare not pull her sleeves up. She shuttered at the thought. The bruises were still fresh, and the stitches would show. Mina closed her eyes on the horror of what had happened, never again she'd said never again. She'd moved from Chicago to Boston to get away, and now here it was again. She'd have to move again. Further this time. Maybe Texas? Oh she longed for Red Brook with all her heart, it had been the best home she'd ever had. Her missionary parents had moved a lot when she was a child, and she'd never had the stability of a permanent home. Until Yaten had invited her to stay with him and his brother while she got her life in order. She had no living relatives, and the joy of not being alone had been massive. She'd spent about 6 months there; the longest she'd ever been in one spot her whole life. She'd loved it there, mostly because of Malcolm but also because of the loving and family oriented atmosphere that Red Brook had. Everyone was a friend, it wasn't hard to walk down a street and know everyone who passed you by his or her first names. She smiled wistfully; she hadn't been there for so long; almost triple the time she'd spent there.

She closed her eyes as she remembered it. The flowers she'd planted in Malcolm's garden. The old piano she'd played on in his living room. She remembered playing 'Mirror Image', as she stared out into the slowly budding garden that was just outside the glass door beside the angled piano. She'd sung the song. Her mind lost in the sweet tune. And then Malcolm had sat beside her and played accompaniment. The tune had filled the room, as his deeper voice sang with hers. She remembered being vaguely intimidated by him at the time. But she couldn't bring herself to stop playing the song. That was the beginning of an odd friendship between them. She smiled as she remembered how he'd helped her plant some of her flowers, the tender hand he'd had towards her orchids. The way he'd taught her how to ride a horse, holding on to the reins as she rode it. She remembered how tenderly he'd held her when she'd cried about her parents and how alone she was. She remembered how he'd kissed her the very first time. She trembled despite herself. She had fallen so madly in love with him. Everything had been perfect until that last night. She didn't like remembering what he'd said to her. It had stung and she'd cried miserably after he'd left. Her world had fallen apart. That same night while he was in bed she'd left. She hadn't known what else to do. Yaten had tried contacting her after, but never Malcolm. She loved him and he hadn't loved her. All his tenderness was pity. She was alone, vulnerable and he'd take advantage of that in his mind, and he'd felt guilty for it. But there was no love there. But at least she wasn't alone anymore, she had her son, and that was enough.

She sighed as she went back to her work; the idea of moving back to Red Brook was appealing, but risky as well. Malcolm spent time there obviously, and it was a small town people would talk once they saw her son. No she decided, Red Brook wasn't for her. Maybe Canada? She smiled at the thought, Alberta was a lot like Montana and she'd loved her brief stint there. Maybe…

Malcolm rode out onto his ranch feeling very lonely. Ami was good fun, but she was also hopelessly in love with Zoey. She was moping around pretending she was tired when everyone knew the truth. The look on her face reminded him of Mina's face that night…he shuttered. He loved Mina with all his heart, and she'd only been affectionate towards him. She was vulnerable and she'd needed comfort, but instead he'd just added to her mess of problems. He'd felt like scum, he'd gone to his room, and sat there sickened by himself. And finally he'd worked up enough courage to go talk to her, and when he'd walked into that room she was gone. He'd almost died then. He grimaced at the events of that night. His brother had come over, and seeing Malcolm with a whisky bottle in one hand, and dozens of empty bottles at his feet he'd gotten worried. He eventually coaxed the story out of Malcolm, and then with excruciating pain in his voice Yaten had told him about Mina's past, the things that she'd neglected to mention. He'd lost it then, he'd beaten the living hell out of Yaten. The scar on Yaten's face was his doing a fact he was still sorry for. Yaten hadn't even fought back; he'd stood there and taken it. Barely even defending himself. After that Malcolm refused to even talk to Yaten for over a year.

But Yaten had gotten him back. After they'd started talking again, Yaten had crashed into Malcolm's truck…. while Malcolm was in it. He broke all most all of his ribs, and his right hand. The memory brought a smile to his face, because after he'd healed, he'd caught a rattlesnake, defanged it and put it Yaten's bed. He smirked, that had been the first time since Mina had left that he'd laughed. He'd actually doubled over laughing unable to stand back up, what for the pandemonium that followed Yaten's awakening. What had followed was a series of pranks between the two brothers that went on for almost 2 years before their maid Janie put an end to it. Having found a nest of spider webs in her kitchen. Janie a woman in her forties had lost it on both of them, they'd both cringed at her rage. Both men were massive in comparison to the tiny woman. Nonetheless she'd yelled herself hoarse. The true joke was the woman only cleaned the house she never cooked.

Malcolm missed his brother; they weren't as close as Zoey and Jaden or Darien and Rei but all the same he missed the stupid things they did to each other. The reason they weren't so close was partly Malcolm's fault, he'd never tried to be close to Yaten, always pushing his brother away. Because Yaten was his half Brother and legitimate. He cringed, in his youth he hated his brother. He grew out of hate and more to general dislike, to finally indifference. Mina had always thought their relationship was odd. He remembered her asking him why he didn't like Yaten. He'd smiled as he'd said with a calm voice. 'I do like him…just not very much.'

"Malcolm!" Ami's frantic voice called out from behind him. He turned to see her running up to him.

"Hey what's wrong?"

"It's Nathan he's on the phone. He says it's an emergency…."

"What kind?" Malcolm didn't like the look on her face.

"It's…its Mina…she's…" She hesitated.

"She's what?" Fear gripped at his heart.

"She's…she's in the hospital." Malcolm couldn't breath, Mina, his Mina. The beauty that he'd seen a few days ago, the woman that meant more to him than life itself. He was ghostly pale and his heart had stopped beating. He got of the horse in one lithe movement and took off in a dead run to the house. Praying to god that Ami had heard Nathan wrong.

But she hadn't.

Nathan was sitting in front of Mina's hospital room. His hands were still trembling. He'd seen the whole thing; a man in a black car had cut Mina off in the middle of the intersection. Then he'd gotten out of the car, And smashed her window open, the next thing Nathan knew he was dragging Mina out of the car. Nathan hadn't seen what had happened next because he'd taken off to come to her rescue. By the time he'd gotten down to the intersection, Mina was pretty bloodied up; the man had taken off at the sight of Nathan. To add to the horror Mina's 5-year-old son was sitting in car trying to get out and save his mom. But his door was child locked. He was screaming for someone to help his mom. Nathan shuttered at the look of horror on the child's face when he'd arrived. The boy had minor whiplash, and a bruised shoulder from the seatbelt.

Nathan had his head in his hands, when he heard the angry voice of Malcolm coming down the hall. He sounded like a hurricane, he was furious. The haggard nurse was trying her best to explain to him that visiting hours were over. But Malcolm wasn't listening; the next minute He burst threw the double doors towards Nathan. His eyes were so icy it almost scared Nathan.

"Tell this damn nurse who I am!" He roared at Nathan furiously.

"This is Malcolm Miller…"

"Oh the child's guardian." The nurse nodded. "I'm sorry sir, but she has been assaulted and the police have instructed us to keep anybody who isn't family away from her…"

"She doesn't have any family." He said tersely. But he wasn't really paying attention. Mina had made him the guardian of her child? Why? "Where is she?"

"She's sleeping Malcolm, she just got out of surgery…" Nathan explained. Malcolm looked extremely murderous right then.

"What for?"

"Her shoulder was very badly dislocated and one of her arteries tore." The nurse explained. He shuttered darkly.

"Where's her son?"

"Zack's at my place. Mina doesn't even know anybody in the city she moved here a week before she took the job." He explained. "Malcolm you look like death, why don't you go home and sleep? I'll be here if she wakes up."

"No I'm fine, you go home, don't leave Zack alone, and give my brother a call please." He said firmly.

"Where is your brother?"

"I don't know but I have his cell phone number." He said absent minded, he really didn't care. It was more of a courtesy call, since Yaten and him were about the only family she had. Even if they weren't really family.

"Malcolm, are you okay?" Nathan asked concerned.

"Call him his number is in my address book." He said as he pulled it out of his jeans pocket and threw it at Nathan.

"Alright. Do you have your cell?"

"Yes, go on home." It wasn't a request it was a command. And Nathan knew it; he nodded his head and walked away. Malcolm stared at the door, and then he looked over his shoulder for the nurse who had already left. Then he opened the door and walked into the darkness.

It took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the lighting. The moonlight from the window beside him was casting an eerie glow onto the slender figure in the bed in front of him. He stared at her; Mina's long blond hair was feathered around her beautiful face, bringing out her delicate features. He looked closer and flinched, there was a bruise running down the side of her face. There was an IV tube sticking out of her wrist. And her other arm was in a sling. She looked so fragile lying in that bed, like a little wounded child. He moved up to her bed and sat down on the chair beside it. He placed his big hand in her small one.

"Mina." He whispered softly. "You better be okay, otherwise I think I might die." He looked down at her, and had to swallow back the lump in his throat. "I'm so sorry I failed you, the one time you needed me the most and I wasn't there. But that'll never happen again. I promise." He ran his knuckles against her cheek very gently. "You nearly killed me today Mina, I'd die for you, I'd do anything for you. I love you. And one day I'll be able to tell you. One day." He smiled down at her. Suddenly her hand contracted on his. He looked down at her hand.

"Malcolm." She called softly. He looked up suddenly but her eyes were still close. She was calling for him in her sleep.

"I'm here baby, I'm here."

"Don't leave me." She whispered unconsciously.

"Never, never again" he promised.

"Malcolm. I…" she sighed and then she was quiet. He looked down at her and brushed his lips against her forehead.

"Goodnight my love." He whispered to her, as he leaned back in his chair. She was still holding on to his hand, but he didn't care, he wouldn't have moved it to save his life.

The night progressed without much more events. That is until the moon had finally set and all was dark. Mina started to scream. Terrified of something that wasn't there. Malcolm woke up to a panicking Mina.

"Calm down Mina, everything's okay."

"No leave me alone…Malcolm!! Malcolm!!" She screamed.

"It's me baby it's me." He told her gently holding her down because her trashing was going to rip the IV out of her wrist.

"Malcolm?" She said calming down a little.

"Yes." He reassured her with gentle hands as he smoothed down her hair.

"Malcolm…it can't be you…it can't be…." She started to cry. "It can't be you…."

"Baby don't cry it's me…"

"Hold me." She whispered holding her arms out for him. He reached down and took her into his arms holding her close. She threw her good arm around his neck, clinging to him for dear life. She wept into his shirt, trembling terribly. "I was so scared."

"It's over now. I'll never let anything happen to you again." He whispered fiercely.

"I must be dreaming, don't let go please." She whispered brokenly.

"Never." He decided to let her think she was dreaming. Because if she knew she wasn't she'd pull away from him and god, he'd never be able to let go of her. She belonged in his arms. He knew it; this was where she was supposed to be.

Suddenly she pulled back from him, just enough to be able to look at his face. Gently she brushed her lips against his neck. He jumped. The soft tenderness of that caress knocked the breath out of him. She sighed softly, as she leaned back onto the bed. She ran her hand down his cheek.

"I missed you." She told him, closing her eyes, "the way you smell, the way you feel in my arms, everything about you." She sighed; the medication was taking effect again. "I wish you were really here." Then she fell asleep.

Malcolm looked at her, and then he bent down and brushed his lips against hers. "I missed you too baby."

Serena sat on the couch in the living room staring into space. After the haze had disappeared a new fear stung at her mind. Her mother. How the hell was she going to tell the older woman that she was getting married? Not just married, but married to a billionaire that was ten years older than her, and had a child. Not only that, she had to explain that she was pregnant…. oh Christ, how was she going to do this?

"Serena are you alright?" The deep tremble of Darien voice asked from behind the entrance.

"Yes…well no…" she said dazedly.

"What's up?" He asked as he moved to sit beside her.

"My mother…" she said nimbly.

"What about her?" He asked calmly.

"She doesn't know I'm pregnant for one thing, and I'm just wondering how I'm going to explain that I'm engaged…" she trailed off.

"Well, I suppose your going to have to tell her, we met in Boston, and…well things happened, that even thought we got started early we're getting married and starting a family…" he offered gently.

"You can try that if you want, I mean if you have a death wish or something."

"Let me guess, ridiculously moral?" He asked with a smile.

"Oh yes, she had a fit when she found out I was living with you…" she told him.

"With good reason." He smiled mischievously.

"Not helping." She said slightly irritated.

"Sorry, I guess I just forgot what it's like to deal with parents." He said apologetically.

"Well I know your mother died but what about your father?" She asked curiously.

"That dead beat? He did nothing for us, when my mother died…. he just left; he didn't show up until I was 16, and living on my own. He spent our money on booze, and he never did anything for us even then…" He told her coldly.

"There's something else," she said knowingly.

"Yes there is…but I'm not sure I'm ready to tell you…it's highly…disturbing…" he told her; his eyes had turned to ice.

"Alright." She said calmly, understanding the feeling. They sat there looking at each other. Darien moved closer to Serena, and pulled her into his arms.

"I finally get you to myself." He said softly. He stroked her hair, cradling her in his arms. Suddenly the doorbell rang. "You know I'm really starting to hate that door…"

"I'll get it." She said moving out of his arms, and towards the door. When she was out of his sight, and he could only hear the soft patting of her feet against the floor, Darien sighed. Because he already missed her.

"Darien" Serena called for him. He got up off the couch and walked to the door. He stopped dead when he saw….

A/n: hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't written in a while, but I've been having major writers block, and my exams and stuff…but my last exam is next week and then I'm free to write! Woohooo!! And I'll totally make up for his dry spell!…so it looks like another cliff hanger…sorry [ducks, behind old lady] don't kill me I'm sorry!!!! But I really wanted to build the suspense…let me know what u think of this chapter…for every review I get a cookie…ohh cookie….lol thanks again oO …I wonder if those cookies are chocolate chip….


	12. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

Ami lay flat on her bed, her mind going completely blank in the aftermath of her shock. Why did it seem like this always happened? No matter where she went she always seemed to bring pain and sadness with her…She winced as she thought about Mina. Was it just Ami's curse? Was that why this was happening? Of course not that was ridiculous, she didn't believe in omens…

The angel of death…that's what they called her. All her life, she'd heralded misfortune, could this be another one? She sighed as she pulled her pillow around her head.

'Stop being stupid and go to sleep!' she told herself coldly. But she knew it was useless, she couldn't sleep, any more than she could stop herself from wanting to be in Zoey's arms right then.

She sighed darkly; Zoey was all wrong for her, bone chillingly experienced, deadly good looking, and a sweet talker, and lets not forget alarmingly masculine. She wanted to scream, she wanted to shout, mostly though she wanted to SLEEP! She tossed and turned, then gave up the pretence, and made her way down to the kitchen.

"Still up child?" the lovingly sweet voice of Janie the housekeeper said from somewhere in the dark. Ami didn't even flinch, being that she was so used to the sudden appearance of the older lady.

"As always." Ami muttered, as she reached past Janie for the fridge. But the older lady smacked her hand away.

"You shouldn't eat at Night, you'll get nightmares." She told her firmly. Ami would have mentioned that you had to be asleep to get nightmares, but she knew it would do no good to try and reason with her.

"Alright, how about some hot chocolate then?" Ami offered diplomatically. Janie smiled as she reached into the fridge and pulled out milk. Ami grinned maliciously as she pulled out the chocolate slabs from the side cabinet.

"Oh you meant the real stuff did you?" Janie said with an evil arch of her eyebrow. Both women grinned. Ami liked Janie; the older lady was the most motherly woman she'd ever been acquainted with. In fact Ami wasn't even sure if her own mother had ever been like that. She smiled briefly at her memories of her mother. The phone ringing disturbed her thoughts. "Now who would be calling at this ungodly hour?"

"Janie, it's 10:30." Ami pointed out thunderstruck.

"Ami dear, its Red brook." The older woman said with a smirk. As she answer the phone. "Miller residen…yes she's here Yaten…I…well…alright" the woman stared at phone for a minute before handing it over to Ami.

"Hello?" Ami said confused.

"Ami, I just got a call from Nathan, about Mina…"

"Malcolm already knows." She said quickly.

"No, I already know that, what I need is the hospital's name."

"I have no idea…" Ami began, completely at a loss; she knew she'd heard the name before, but she was drawing a blank. "St. Augustine, or St. Anne's…something with an A"

"Ami, honey, that doesn't narrow it down by much. I can't get a hold of Malcolm, his cell's turned off, and I can't get a flight out, so I'll be at the ranch in a half hour."

"Your in Red Brook?" She asked completely stunned.

"Yes for the moment, until I can get a damn flight out of here…"

"What about Malcolm's jet?" She interrupted.

"Honey, how do you think he got down there?" He asked calmly.

"Oh," She muttered embarrassed that the thought hadn't occurred to her. "I'll go tell Janie to get your room ready…"

"Don't bother, I probably won't be doing much sleeping anyways." He said jadedly. "I'll be there soon, don't wait up I have a set of keys." And with that he hung up.

"So when is the boy going to be here?" Janie asked from behind Ami, causing the girl to jump and drop the phone she was still holding.

"How did you know?" Ami asked shocked.

"I just know these things, I'll go set up his room, I assume he'll be here in a few hours?" Janie asked as she walked out of the room briskly, not waiting for Ami to respond.

"Yah…I guess so." She muttered to herself, as she stared off into space, still lost in her thoughts.

"Setsuna, what are you doing here?" Darien asked as soon as he regained his composure. The lovely brunette at his door, mirrored his discomfort, she shifted her weight as she glanced over at Serena.

"I'm sorry is this a bad time, I tried calling but…" She began; her words tumbled out in a delicate accent that Serena couldn't quite place.

"No, no it's fine, come on in." Darien responded hurriedly, the words all but gushing out of his mouth. His Demeanor completely floored Serena. Was he nervous? Or maybe guilty…?

"Are you sure I'm not…imposing on something?" She said pointedly. Serena was starting to paint a very disturbing image of the situation in her mind. And the way Darien was looked at Setsuna wasn't helping. It was as if he were looking at something very small and very precious. There was something quite odd about her face; it was almost familiar somehow, which was saying something considering her near red eyes. Perhaps Serena had seen a picture of her in Darien's apartment, or in the house itself.

"No your not, come on in." He repeated firmly, moving out of the way, so as to allow her entry. Setsuna was much taller than Serena; she had shoulder length black hair, which now that the light was reflecting off of, had a greenish tinge. Her eyes were of a brownish red consistency, with the darkest emphasis on the red. She had the build of a model, and the lanky stride of a soldier, yet a sort of vulnerability that made Serena curious.

"I really can't stay, I just came by to…well…uhh…well you know." She mumbled more to her feet than Darien.

"Yah, I figured, umm can I get you something to drink?" He sounded as thought he were cooing to a child.

"No thank you, uhh, I really should be going, I just came by to give you this." She said as she handed him a manila envelope from her hand bag. Darien took it out of her hands, he held her hand there for a moment too long before he let it go. Serena noticed. "It's everything, I know…I better go, goodbye Darien" She murmured to her feet, and abruptly turned and walked away without so much as a nod in Serena's direction.

"Who..?" Serena began but Darien wasn't listening, he'd closed the door, and was now rushing off in a blessed hurry to the study. He didn't even seem to notice she had been standing next to him a mere moment ago. "Okay then." She said to the spot that he had been in. She stared at it for a moment as thought she half expected him to appear out of thin air. She smirked at her own stupidity and walked off towards Ayane's room.

Nathan stretched out across his bed, his mind completely restless. Today had been a long and incredibly bad day. Besides' Mina's assault, Molly's phone call had all but ruined his mood. Molly was running off to Sweden to avoid Melvin. This was starting to get beyond ridiculous. Molly was petrified of Melvin, and the more he thought about it the more he realized that it couldn't have just been Melvin's deflection that made Molly run from him so much. Of course he'd realized that along time ago. But with the events of today fresh in his mind, he wondered if maybe Melvin had abused Molly. He grew progressively more murderous as visions of Melvin hitting Molly crossed his mind. Beautiful Molly, who was the sweetest, kindest, most caring person one could hope to meet, did not deserve so much as a glare from another human being. The idea that Melvin might have harmed her in anyway disturbed him completely.

He was drifting off to sleep, for the images of Melvin beating Molly turned very abruptly into Nathan caressing a very cute brunette lawyer. Suddenly and rather unexpectedly he was awoken by loud high pitch sound he could not place. It took him a moment but with a start he realized it was coming out of his living room. He rushed out in the dark, tripping over everything in between his room and the source of the noise. The noise was disorienting him, it was possibly the loudest most irritating noise he had ever heard, and he reached out and groped at the wall looking for the light switch. As the light flooded the room, sudden silence broke. He looked around the room for the source of the sound at a loss as to where it had come from (being that he was still half asleep).

"Mommy…mommy are you there?" a small voice said from under the mass of blankets on the couch.

"Zack? Was that you making that noise?" Nathan asked tiredly.

"I'm sorry Mister…I didn't mean to…night scares." He mumbled embarrassed.

"Night scares? Do you mean terrors?" Nathan asked the boy confused.

"I don't know…I'm sorry…" he said softly, it was then that Nathan realized the boy was crying. Nathan sat down at the edge of the couch and looked at the boy.

"Hey, its okay, is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" Nathan asked gently, not sure wither to touch the boy or even to look at him. He was completely hopeless with crying children.

"Mommy…mommy sings sometimes." He said in between soft sobs.

"I'm not sure I can sing as well as your mommy does, but what does she sing?"

"I don't know what it's called…" He sobbed.

"Hey, hey its okay little guy, why don't you sing it to me maybe? I might know it." Nathan said stroking the boy's hair.

"Okay…" he said and then took a deep breath and began to sing in a soft broken voice. "Rock-a-bye baby, please don't forget when you close your eyes…"

"That I'm here, and I'll always be…" Nathan joined in recognizing the song. Rock-a-bye Darling. Mina sure had an odd sense of humor Nathan mused. He wondered vaguely if the little boy knew who'd written that song for his mommy.

Serena was getting restless, it was already past ten thirty, and while she was old enough to stay out all night, she didn't relish the idea of having to face her mother in the morning. She paced outside Darien's study for a while, before building the courage to go inside. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Who's there?" Darien's irritated voice called through the door.

"Serena…umm Darien I got to get home..." She mumbled losing all her bravery at the sound of his voice, lord but he did intimidate her.

"You are home." He said simply.

"This isn't my home yet, and my mom will have a freak out if I stay out here for the night" she said a little tersely, feeling a little of her courage come back wit her irritation.

"Well we'll be telling her we're getting married soon anyways…"

"Well that's just great, but that doesn't change the fact that that I've got to get home, and since you drove me here, and since I'm sure you don't want me to hot wire your truck, I think you ought to please get out here and take me home." She said more than a little harshly.

"Honey, I think this pregnancy might be making you a tad cranky." He said trying to hide a trace of amusement out of his voice, as he walked out the study doors.

"And what, pray tell is your excuse for being such a pigheaded cow?" She asked venomously.

"Absence from you my dear." He said as he bent to kiss her nose.

"Well you weren't in a big hurry to see me a moment ago" She accused.

"Oh but I was, I wanted to keep you here all night." He said with a grin. As he took her hand in his, "But I suppose we can't all get what we want."

"No I suppose we can't" She murmured absent mindedly.

"Is something bothering you Serena?" He asked a little stunned by her stony face.

"No, everything's fine, come on then lets go." She said cheerfully, smiling sweetly. But Darien hadn't missed the shadow that had crossed her face. He wondered for a moment at her odd behavior, but decided he was being paranoid. Life was good; he had Serena, and Ayane, and now their baby. But there was still the complication of Setsuna, no he wouldn't worry on that for now, there'd be time enough later.

Serena's mind was whirling, what was going on? First he'd been so affectionate, and then icy when the mysterious woman had shown up at his door, who was she anyways? And then he was affectionate again, even teasing. She was so confused.

He led her out of the house and towards his truck. He reached out and took her little hand in his much bigger one. He smirked a little at the perfection of their fit. It was as though Serena was made for him. As if some one had cut them out of each other. He bent then rather spontaneously and swept his lips against her forehead. She belonged to him, it was that simple, and their lives were intertwined forever. She was to be his wife, the mother of his second child. And by God he'd do everything in his power this time around to be a father.

"What was that for?" She asked even more confused. That was a definite sign of tenderness, without the least bit of passion. It was tenderness for the sake of being tender. It knocked her off guard. Darien wasn't tender by nature, in fact he wasn't tender at all, affectionate yes…but tender? No that wasn't in this big brooding mans nature.

"Can't a man kiss his fiancé on the forehead without arousing suspicion? Pssh, show a little affection and the lady thinks I'm going to mug her or something." He said in sham hurt. "Well Miss Lane your cut off!"

"Cut off from what exactly?" She asked impishly.

"Darien fun, no more taking advantage of me for you." As he said this he turned away from her, throwing his chin high in the air. The stance made Darien appear to be a rather large Valley girl.

"Oh well then what good are you to me?" She asked wickedly. He whipped his head around his mouth open in sham shock. His lower lip trembled as he looked at her with the saddest most pathetic puppy dog expression she had ever seen.

"What am I only a sex object to you?" He looked as if he were a three year old whose favorite toy had been thrown down the garbage disposal. The expression was too much for Serena who burst out laughing. "Well I'm glad my pain amuses you." He said amidst pathetic whimpering noises. "It's alright I understand, it doesn't matter if it hurts me, as long as you get a laugh out of it." He sniffled, and pretended to dab his eyes.

"Oh… Darien… stop… stop" She gasped out in between gigantic fits of laughter. He grinned devilishly as he swept her into his arms.

"Okay I'll stop" he murmured as he bent his head and kissed her deeply. The kiss seemed to go on forever, his mouth working a Rhythm with hers, his lips rushing against hers caressing and pressing. She gasped at the potency of the kiss, and he slowly invaded her mouth. Gently at first, tasting softly, then with the rash harshness of a man starved. He pulled her tiny body completely into his. He bent himself lower in order to fit her more comfortably into his core. He ran his hands against her neck with the same rhythm as the kiss, gently teasing and caressing until it made her ache. He was aching too; he wanted her so very badly. But no he wasn't going to do that to her…well not until after they were married. But with her little softness pressed against him that closely it was really hard to remember, he groaned deeply as he pushed her away from him.

"Sorry" He whispered as he rested his forehead against hers. His breath came out in hard rushes, blowing her blond hair asunder. "I better get you home before I take advantage of you right here." He was only half joking, the truth was he wanted her to the point of absolute stupidity.

"I don't mind." She whispered back, trying for funny, but sounding entirely too impish.

"Oh you don't do you? This coming from Miss Morality." He smirked, feeling just a little annoyed. God did she have to be so damn irresistible? Did those beautiful blue eyes have to shine so iridescently against the back drop of her blonde hair? She was the most beautiful girl in the world to him, and if she was the very last girl he ever kissed, held or made love to, well that didn't bother him one bit.

A sudden thought crossed his mind, amidst the serene scenes of his future life with her, what if he couldn't be faithful to her? Hadn't his father sworn up and down to his mother that he loved her? That she was the sun, the moon, and the stars? And hadn't he on numerous occasions cheated on her? Hadn't he ruined so many damn lives telling the same promises, saying the same meaningless words? Could it be that maybe the old man had really believed himself? Maybe when he'd looked into the eyes of Darien's mother, he'd seen and felt what Darien did looking into Serena's. There was no doubt that the old man was a bastard, and Darien for his part hated him more than words could say, but maybe behind all of his drunken and often violent actions, there was just a very confused old man who thought he'd experienced love. Not that this excused the old man from the terrible dreadful things he'd inflicted on those he'd claimed to love. God for what he'd done to his sister and him, to his mother, let alone Setsuna. He shuttered just a little. How many more like Setsuna were out there? If all of this had been motivated by some sick sense of love for his mother…god what if he became like him?

"Are you alright?" She asked gently.

"Serena…there are so many things I wish I could tell you, so many things that you deserve to know…especially since your going to be my wife." The last words sent a thrill down her body; she was going to be his. And he hers, something deep inside her stirred, she wanted to have him right there and then. She looked away and took a deep breath; this couldn't possibly be good for her or the baby. "Baby, are you alright?" He said as he reached out to steady her.

"I'm fine, I'm just…tired"

"Has anybody ever told you you're a terrible liar?" He smirked deeply, because he'd already guessed what was wrong with her, judging by the new shape of her pretty breasts.

"Oh? And what do you think I'm lying about exactly?" she said shivering a little, which had nothing to do with the slight breeze.

"Ummm, wouldn't you like to know." He said with the deepest of purrs in his voice. "But seriously, I would like to make a good impression on my future mother-in-law, so we better get going."

"Oh you had to bring the hag into this didn't you." She muttered under her breath, she was feeling just a little frustrated. She sighed deeply "Let's go"

"You could always spend the night you know…" He offered more as a joke then anything, he already knew the answer.

"No I have to go home." She said almost automatically, god she so wanted to spend the night, but that wasn't a good idea.

"Alright-y lets go then." He said as he opened her door for her.

Zoey lay on his bed staring at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep; nothing felt the same when he couldn't see her. She made his heart flutter; she lit up his whole world. Now why couldn't he just tell her this? She made him shy, and explosive all the time. He wanted her till it ached, not just in his bed but in his arms, in his world. But it probably wasn't meant to be…He sighed deeply…

"Ami…I hope your happy." He muttered to the ceiling, he meant it. "I'm not good for you, you know, you're so sweet and innocent, so perfect, and I'm just a male slut…I don't deserve you... I'm not good for you. But god I want you so much…" He closed his eyes. He remembered behind those eyes, memories of the pretty blue-black haired woman of his dreams. "Stay out of my dreams, angel face" he rolled over and attempted to sleep.

When Yaten finally arrived at the ranch, Ami was almost asleep on the couch. She'd wanted to stay up and greet him, since Janie was already in bed.

"Hey hunny, what are you doing up?" Yaten asked with the faintest hint of exhaustion.

"wanted to make sure somebody was awake when you got here." She muttered half asleep

"Go to bed, your exhausted."

"Did you try calling Nathan?"

"No, he's got Mina's son over there, the poor kid's been through so much today, he needs to get some sleep."

"What are you going to do?"

"No idea, probably call the station back in Boston, and find out what exactly happened"

"That's probably a good idea…poor girl…"

"You're telling me…poor Malcolm, he's probably gone grey."

"Probably wants to kill the bastard that did that to her."

"That poor bastard has no idea what he's gotten himself into, if there's one woman you should never touch its Mina, because if Malcolm doesn't get him I will." He said darkly.

"Do you know anything about her condition?" She asked quickly to change the subject. Yaten so rarely ever looked angry, it was a little scary.

"Yah, Nathan said she was stable, she had surgery for her shoulder and from the looks of it she'll be alright, but they found quite a few old bruises and stitches on her already, so they think it was an abusive ex or something."

"Wow… Does Malcolm know?"

"No, thank god, he wouldn't be able to handle it right now." He said rubbing his forehead, from the looks of it he couldn't handle it either.

"Are you okay?" she asked genuinely concerned.

"Yah I guess…I think I'm going to go get some sleep or whatever, goodnight Ami." He murmured as he headed towards his usual room.

"Right…" Ami said as she watched him walk away.

Serena sneaked up her stairs and down the hallways into her room. As she closed the door she turned to see Sammy sitting on her bed, she all but shrieked.

"What the hell! Oh my gosh, what are you doing in here?" She asked as she caught her breath.

"Waiting for you, mom is beyond pissed off at you Serena." Sammy said calmly.

"Oh she's going to be down right furious when she finds out what I've done Sammy." She said with positive glee.

"What did you do?" He asked a little excited now.

"I got engaged!" She said with an almost comical look of maddening joy crossing her pretty face.

"To Darien?" Sammy was stunned.

"No to his sister, of course to Darien!"

"Serena…does he know?"

"Yes he does…"

"Wow…so he asked you to marry him?"

"Shotgun wedding I know…"

"Are you happy?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, that's settled, I'm going to bed, mom takes her tranquil…"

"I'm not telling her when she's basically stoned! I'm telling her before her second round of meds." Serena snapped, this was borderline ridiculous.

"Are you nuts?!" Sammy practically yelled.

"Keep your voice down; don't want to wake her up"

"Well, she's going to kill you anyways, and besides which she's on sleeping pills now remember!"

"Right, a tornado couldn't wake her up…look Sammy, I can't be afraid of her forever alright, that's just stupid. I mean I'm an adult, and I'm pregnant…how long am I going to hide from the woman?"

"I know, but Serena this is just suicide…"

"What is she going to do? Kick me out?" She asked sarcastically.

"Yah I guess your right, what if she never speaks to you again?"

"Bonus! Come on, she couldn't resist ridiculing me"

"I guess so."

Mina woke with a start. A hazy memory of the night before coming back slowly, A car, her car…yes her car, He was there…Zack?...Malcolm…? She screamed his name, she didn't realize it, but she screamed it all the same.

"Mina, Mina baby, I'm here." His deep sleep filled voice responded. No this couldn't be real, Malcolm was in Texas…She must have died, or still be under. "Baby can you hear me?" A warm hand touched hers she looked up then, expecting to see anybody except whom she saw.

"Malcolm…?" She whispered. This was unbelievable; here he was in the flesh, looking at her with what could almost be considered…concern.

"Yes baby, it's me, how are you feeling?" His voice was soft, almost relieved.

"Okay…I must be high…" She muttered more to herself than what she assumed was a hallucination.

"Why do you say that?" He asked looking carefully into her eyes, maybe she'd hurt her head.

"Because, Malcolm Miller hates me, and he'd never be sitting beside my bedside looking at me all concerned. Besides he's in Texas, so you see you can't really be here." She said matter -of- factly.

"Mina…" He was spared a response, as the door swung open and a little flash of white zoomed in, followed closely by a serious but optimistic doctor.

"Mommy!" The white flash screamed as it jumped onto the bed, landing hard on Mina's damaged arm. She let out a yelp that was half delight half agony.

"Zachary!" She said through gritted teeth "baby please get off."

"Aren't you happy to see me?" He asked as he threw himself off the bed.

"Of course I am baby, but that really hurt" She told him reaching a little forward to kiss his forehead. Her eyes had softened incredibly. Malcolm looked at the picture they made; they could have been his, who knows maybe their son would have looked just like that little boy. That hurt him to the core of his soul. He had wanted more than anything to give Mina babies, a house full just like she'd wanted, he might have actually gotten the chance too, had he not scared her off. He imagined for a moment that Mina was his wife, and that the little boy, now more comfortably perched on the edge of the bed was his. It broke his heart.

"Are you okay mister?" The little boy asked, Malcolm looked up sharply, realizing that Mina (who had clearly realized he was actually there), the boy and Nathan were all staring at him.

"I'm fine, just a little tired and sore, kiddo." He murmured, he didn't know it but his icy eyes had warmed up. Mina noticed, it torn at her, he was looking at her boy with such hunger, it was almost terrifying. She was still getting over that fact that the man she loved so desperately was actually there, in the flesh looking at her. Looking so deeply into her eyes...so very deeply…

"Well now that we've all gotten a chance to visit, let's discuss your condition Mina." The curt looking doctor said drably, bringing Mina back to reality.

"Sure doctor." Mina said looking up at him as she held her son's hand.

"The surgery for your shoulder went fairly well, but it's still going to need some recovery time, and probably physiotherapy, most of the stitches took well, but your going to need to use antiseptic on them, on a side note, your leg was quite badly hurt as I'm sure you already knew, and your not going to be able to walk for a few weeks without assistance, it's recommended that you not stay by yourself for a little while, both by me and the police…" The doctored drawled his voice dragging at the words; he continued to speak about some other things Mina would have to do to take care of herself. She wasn't really listening. She had no where to go, and she couldn't stay in the city anymore, and worse still she couldn't even go anywhere if she had anywhere to go in the first place. The room was spinning, what was she going to do?

"So I'm going to need to know where your staying, nosy police and all that. So where is that going to be?" the doctor's drawling voice asked out of nowhere, she'd completely missed what he'd said.

"I'm…" she began to ask him to repeat what he had said.

"With me, would it be safe for her to take a flight at this point?" Malcolm said incredulously, it was so calm that Mina almost thought she'd imagined that. She'd turned her head around so fast she'd almost fallen off the bed. "Careful." He said as he caught her ever so gently and moved her back into the center of the bed.

"No, she might develop a clot; those commercial jets are absolutely horrible…" The doctor began.

"What about a private jet? Aren't there medications you could give her, it'll be a short flight, from here to Texas." Malcolm asked, as if he was simply inquiring about the time, or how the weather was.

"Well I suppose a private jet would be okay, but you'd have to do several pit stops, and she'd have to take little walks and breathers, with assistance of course, every hour or so…" The doctor began.

"Perfect, how long do you want to keep her here?" Malcolm cut the doctor short.

"Oh a few days, that shoulder is going to need some supervision…"

"If you would be so kind as to transfer her files to Red Brook General, we can make the necessary arrangements to be out of here in about a week." Malcolm said, doing a few calculations in his head, he'd have to fuel up the jet, get some supplies, call Janie so that they could set up a room for her son, he'd probably need some entertainment or whatever, plus insuring that the doctors at R.B General were good to go incase they landed and she needed emergency care…a week sounded about right.

"Excuse me, don't you think maybe you should I don't know, include me in this discussion?" Mina asked tersely, she did not like how Malcolm was taking charge, treating her as if she were a child.

"What's there to discuss?" Malcolm asked slightly confused, why was she so angry?

"I think this is our que to leave doc, come on kiddo, how does some breakfast sound?" Nathan interjected, in the hopes of rescuing the innocent bystanders involved.

"No! I'm not leaving mommy again!" Zack said looking positively fierce; he then turned to look at Malcolm. "You leave my mommy alone, or else!" He growled.

"Or else, what little man?" Malcolm asked helplessly, stifling a grin at the fiery child's grit.

"I'll bite you! And I bite hard!" He replied deadpan serious.

"I'll bet you do, just like your mommy over here, so full of fire. I just want to talk to her that's all." He said looking into the little boys eyes.

"That's what he said too, and then he hurt mommy, no way! You'll just have to go through me!" He practically growled at Malcolm. The humor went out of Malcolm all at once. The seriousness of that statement hit him square in the chest, had Mina been abused by this boy's father perhaps? He looked at her closely and understanding dawned on him, that man…he might well have been the father.

"Alright little man, you don't have to leave, as long as your mommy is okay with that." Nathan responded for the big blonde man who looked as if he'd seen the dead rise.

"Baby I'll be okay, go get some breakfast okay? And while your there maybe you can get me some of the Jello I like so much hmm?" she coaxed, brushing back his blonde hair. There was her little warrior all ready to protect her…from Malcolm of all people. She sighed.

"No!" He said stubbornly.

"Zack, please" she said firmly, but lovingly.

"Mommy he's going to hurt you!" He half yelled in terror.

"Never…" Malcolm choked out; the words oozing with so much emotion it shocked Mina. "I would never lay a hand on your mother, I'd sooner cut off my arms." He looked up then right into her eyes. "Wouldn't I Panda?" He said absently using the old endearment. She looked at him for a long time, in a mix between shock, hurt, longing and loving. She ached for him, down to her soul.

"Yes…yes you'd sooner cut of your own arms then hit…a woman" She amended in time.

"You promise?" Zack asked worriedly.

"Yes I promise" Malcolm and Mina responded in unison, still locked in each other's gaze.

"…Okay…green mommy?" Zack asked still visibly doubtful.

"What baby?" Mina asked tearing her eyes away from Malcolm.

"Green Jello?" He repeated patiently.

"Yes baby, green's good. Come here" She said reaching forward to hug her son close; she kissed his cheek, his forehead and his nose. "I love you baby."

"I love you mommy." He said kissing her cheek, and then he jumped off the bed following Nathan and the long since gone doctor.

They were alone, in the looming silence. He looked at her one last time before forcing himself to look away.

"He's incredibly protective…" He commented.

"He is…he's my own private bodyguard or he would be if he weighed more than a wet coat…" She murmured absently. More silence filled the room.

"What's wrong with the Ranch?" Malcolm finally asked breaking the silence.

"Come on Malcolm, are you seriously asking me this?" She sounded positively exhausted. "For one I don't know anybody there, for two it's a small town Malcolm, think about the gossip. Something like me moving in with two men is okay for Family…I have to think about my son…"

"You don't know anybody here, and I'm as close to family as you have, besides when did you ever care what anybody thought?" He asked darkly.

"I don't! I care about my son and the things he's going to hear!" She growled angrily.

"Nobody will say anything about this to him; he's just a little boy, your just making up excuses not to come home with me."

"I'm not a bloody invalid, I'm 27 years old Malcolm! Not some child for you to take charge of!" She roared furiously.

"I'm not trying to take charge; I'm trying to protect you and your son! Do you want to stay here and be prey to this insane bastard again? I will not let you stay here, so that this man can try and probably succeed!" He roared right back at her.

"He doesn't know where I live!" She shot back.

"Do you know that for sure?" She didn't.

"I'm not leaving, this is my home." She'd figure something out; maybe get a wheelchair or some such.

"The ranch is your home!" He blurted out without thinking. She was quiet for a long time, reliving past pains.

"No, it's not….not anymore!" She whispered softly, deeply, as though she'd been hit. A tear ran down her face. He reached out and wiped it away with his thumb. He caught her face in his hand and moved it forward so he could look at her fully.

"Mina, what happened between us..."He closed his eyes ever so briefly, aching inside "What happened, doesn't change what I told you 5 years ago, the ranch is your home, and you are welcome at it…anytime…" He was whispering, inching ever closer to her, unconsciously. Suddenly he realized what he was doing and moved back quickly, too quickly. Mina noticed. He found her repulsing, that had to be it she thought miserably. She was starting to feel a little light headed.

"I…thank you Malcolm…you have no idea what that means to me…" She swallowed back the emotion, she was overcome by it. She hadn't had a home in a long time.

"You'll come back with me won't you?" He asked softly.

"I…are you sure?" She murmured weakening. Was that her talking or the morphine drip that had clearly started to work?

"Absolutely" He said firmly.

"Alright, it'll be nice to be back at home." She sighed absently. "Do you still play Malcolm?" She asked leaning back into the pillows.

"Every now and then, less and less every year." He murmured gazing at her.

"You were always so amazing at it, I loved hearing you play…I loved watching you…watching you frown when you got the wrong note…the one time that happened…" She said sadly, drifting off.

"I guess that morphine has been kicking in for the last little bit, hey?" He asked her sleep eased features.

"I guess…guess…" And then she was out.

"No wonder you didn't put up much of a fight, my angel, not to worry there'll be plenty of time for that once we go home." He smiled for the first time in a truly long time, he felt at peace. He leaned back into the chair, he was already at home. She was home.

Darien dressed and redressed twice, fixing his hair about a million times and all the while panicking. Rei giggled in the background.

"It's not funny, don't laugh at me!" He said irritably.

"Oh but it is funny, I've never seen you this nervous ever before.

"Well I am meeting my…Serena's mother." He murmured, he hadn't yet told his sister, he was waiting until he'd planned everything. In the meantime Serena had told her mother, and she was ripping furious. Serena's exact words to him were: 'Darien, I sincerely hope you didn't want my mother to like you, because she doesn't…in fact…she's calling in the reinforcements.' The reinforcements being her siblings, Darien grimaced. He wished he could bring Rei with him, she was sweet and fun, maybe they'd take pity on him? He had never been so intimidated in all his life, and he had no idea what exactly terrified him so. He hadn't even been his nervous when he'd gone to meet Valessa's family. And they positively despised him.

"Your Serena hey? That's so sweet, oh you better ask her to marry you soon." She sighed sweetly. Darien looked away, he hated lying to his sister, well in all fairness it was more like half truths. Half truth's that she was going to beat him for, oyvey and she was pregnant too. He silently shuttered. Serena owed him! "Dar, relax, you look nice, stop fussing, her family is pretty much all military right? If your too made up their going to think that your some rich pretty boy, which in fairness I guess you are…but you don't want them to know that."

"Thanks Rei, truly! Bad enough Malcolm won't return my freaking calls, Serena's entire family is going to meet, and probably hate me, and let's not forget, your smelly brother-in-law is living with me, but now I'm a billionaire pretty boy!" He growled frustrated.

"Oh don't get your panties in a bunch Darienna, I'm sure your boyfriend will call you back with all the juicy details that you don't already know from your mistresses Nathan and Jaden. Oh and by the way I want my husband back! Serena's family won't hate you, you're an incredibly good-looking, BILLIONARE! I should know, we have the same genes! And besides you're a great guy, real salt of the earth type, besides it's not like you knocked her up or anything, Oh and you could have kicked Zoey out any time. And if he's that smelly just hose him down!" She shot off, the sarcasm oozing off the words.

"Rei, I love you but after this one's born I'm castrating your husband. Your hormones are way too much for me"

"Don't you dare! You listen to me you jerk, you're a billionaire tycoon in charge of a huge conglomerate, you have faced down men that most people would urinate over having to see much less talk to! You are good-looking, smart, successful and well educated, any woman would be lucky to have you! So start acting like it, you go out there and you be Darien Freaking Volpe, the toughest damn SOB, who is never intimidated by anybody or anything!" she growled. But she did have a point, Darien had never been intimidated by anything he WAS a tough SOB! If they didn't like him, oh freaking well! He was still going to marry Serena! So there, take that Lane family! But why was he so intimidated? Could it be? Did he really want to impress them...for Serena? So that maybe she'd be proud to be his wife? He had never wanted that in his life…it was all a little confusing.

"Oy stop doing your Valley girl impression and get some shoes on! Geez, do I have to do everything for you!?" She barked at him bringing him back. Then she burst into tears. Darien turned to look at his beloved, hugely pregnant sister. He reached out and hugged her close.

"Why are you crying love?" He asked her softly.

"Because I'm huge and cranky, and my husband is your mistress! And I don't think he finds me sexy anymore, and my billionaire big brother is being all jelly boned, and…and…and…I'm HUGE!!" She whined in rapid succession.

"Oh Honey, you're not huge, you're pregnant, and beautiful. And your husband isn't my mistress, I wouldn't have him, I bet he's terrible in bed, Ahh don't tell me I don't want to know." He said holding his hand to her mouth before she could respond to the last allegation. "Also I'm sure he thinks you're beautiful, or at least he better or I'll kill him and make it look like an accident." He kissed her forehead.

"You promise?" she asked in between big sobs.

"Yes Sweetie I promise." He responded soothingly.

"With a bat?" She sobbed.

"No with a shot gun, looks far less suspicious, well at least in Texas it does." He smiled at her. "Oh come on Sissy, cheer up, and don't cry into my shirt, I really have to look good."

"You're a jerk!" She roared pushing him away. "I hate you Darien! It's your stupid best friend's fault I'm pregnant and moody, and you stole him! And now I'm all alone!" She growled.

"You saw him two days ago when Zoey moved in here! In fact you saw him yesterday too!" He growled at her frustrated with her mood swings.

"Well…yah but he doesn't find me attractive anymore." She wailed.

"Oh lord! I'm calling that stupid bastard up; he married you he can deal with you!" He roared at her walking away.

"Why, don't you love me anymore??" She called after him in tears.

"Oh I love you plenty, I love you enough to know that you need to be with Jaden." He said back to her. He picked up the phone, and called his brother in law. "Oh you better pick up, get my little sister pregnant and then unleash her on me will you?! Stupid…"

"Hello?" Jaden's slightly surprised voice asked.

"You had better not be in bed with another one of my relatives let me tell you! You get my little sister pregnant and then…" he raged

"Then unleash her evil mood swings on you?" Jaden finished smugly.

"Don't be cute! You come over here this instant and tell my sister you find her sexy!" He growled at the man. "Oh and don't be a cheep bastard, buy her some damn chocolates or flowers or something!"

"So let me get this right you want me to come over to your house, with some sort of present and tell your baby sister I find her sexy?" He asked innocently, stifling his laughter.

"Yes! And take her out to a movie or dinner! It wouldn't kill you to appreciate your wife you know!" He said haughtily.

"Would you also like me to make love to her?" He asked in between fits of laughter.

"Oh no, you aren't allowed to ever sleep with my sister again, not until we fix you! She's a raving ball of emotions, and it's your fault, you just keep it in your pants!" He half yelled at Jaden.

"Darien, I hate to break it to you, but you can't get a pregnant lady, pregnant again." He was positively shaking with laughter.

"Oh you'll find a way, stop laughing you son of bitch, and come down here and take your wife out! Now!" He growled and hung up. Of all the men Rei could have picked, why'd she have to pick Jaden?

"Of all the men you could have picked…why did you pick that billionaire tycoon? He's evil!" Serena's mother raged at her. Serena had to stifle giggles, normally this would have set her off, but it was something else to watch her mother try to find things wrong with Darien. "He's far too big! He'll probably die of heart failure! And leave everything to his mistresses! Rich men have them you know!"

"Yes mother I know." That took the humor right out of her, it cut deeply, he probably would keep mistresses…like Setsuna…She sighed deeply.

"You're far too young and poor to be with someone that rich, he'll get bored and probably leave you pregnant, and barefoot!" she raged.

"He would not!" she shot back, "He's an honorable man, mother, he's got a good heart!"

"Umm hmm, and I suppose he got all that money by being kind." She roared at Serena. "Why are you doing this to yourself? You're a grown woman Serena, think! Why on earth would a rich man like that want to be with you?"

"Mom, that's enough, if Serena wants to marry this guy, who are we to stand in her way?" A tall, blonde man with the familiar Lane hair asked.

"We're her family that's whom! I don't trust this guy, I'm with mom, no offense Serena but why would a billionaire want to marry you?" asked the lithe blonde woman standing beside Serena's mother.

"Maybe you should all shut up?!" Offered Sammy furiously, "She's 22 years old, and you lot are treating her like she's a baby that needs saving, for god sakes, she's tough as nails, and we all know it. If she picked Darien you all know there must be a good reason for it. She isn't stupid, she loves him, and Hack your right we're her family, and so shouldn't we stand by her?" He growled.

"Sammy you're just a kid you don't understand the implications here…" Hack began.

"Yes I do, I understand that if we stand in her way it won't make one lick of difference, she's still going to marry him, and then she'll be out of all our lives. I don't want to lose my big sister, and I don't think you want to lose her either!" He said firmly. "I love Serena, and if she loves Darien, I guess that means I'm going to have to love him too."

The room when quiet, Serena gazed in amazement at her little brother. Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached over and hugged him.

"Thank you Sammy, thank you so much." She said wiping away her tears.

"Don't mention it. Look, can't we at least give this guy a try? I mean, he is the father of our niece or nephew." As soon as he said it his face went white as he looked over at Serena who had also gone ghostly pale.

"What?!" Andrew, Hack and Serena's mother all yelled at the same time.

"Now guys lets all relax for minute here…" Began an as yet quiet Teal haired woman.

"Michelle, that bastard got my baby sister pregnant!" Roared Hack, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. As if a thundercloud had erupted Hack, Andrew and their mother all turned and began to hand it out to Serena with such gusto that the walls were almost trembling.

"Everybody just calm down please. This can't possibly be good for Serena or the baby." Began the brunette sitting in the corner beside Michelle; in a calm sweet voice that held such authority that it actually shut Andrew up right away, "Look, what's done is done, at least he isn't running away and trying to shirk his responsibility, he's marrying Serena. So at least we know he is in fact an honorable man."

"He got her pregnant!" Andrew roared back at his beautiful wife, "If he'd left her in that state I'd have personally murdered him!"

"Wait in line there buckaroo" Hack commented dryly. She was making a very obvious and conscious attempt to calm herself down. More because Michelle was glaring at her with such fire in her eyes than because her little sister was pregnant "When were you planning to tell us Serena?" She asked calmly.

"Yes Serena when were you planning to tell us you'd turned into a raving whore?!" Roared her mother furiously.

"Mom!" All three of the Lane children excluding Serena chastised in Unison.

"No she's right, I'm a whore. I'm a whore for waiting till I was 22 fucking years old to give my virginity to the man I love! I'm a whore for wanting to keep this child even though it was conceived out of wedlock! I'm a whore for wanting to be the mother you never were to me!" She threw at her mother; her eyes were so cold at this point that it shut everybody up. "You are the most horrible; old hag to have ever been blessed with children! I don't give a flying damn about what you want, or expect of me Mother. I did my time as the good little girl, and it wasn't enough. Nothing I did was ever enough, well I'm done! Yes I slept with Darien, yes I'm pregnant, yes I'm marrying him. And no you don't have to come to our wedding or meet him or your grandchild! Because frankly I don't care what you do!" She glared fire at her mother who was actually cringing from her daughter. "As for the rest of you, my wedding is going to be on Tuesday, you're more then welcome to attend, if not that's fine." She said firmly. She was actually shaking with subdued rage.

The door bell rang, nobody moved. It rang again and this time Serena shaking terribly went to answer it. In front of her was the man in question, all dark haired and obliviously smiling.

"Hi darling…are you okay?" He said the smile wiped right of his face. She was actually trembling; he didn't like that one bit. He caught her firmly in his arms; she instinctively buried her face in his throat. "What's wrong, what happened?" He asked with such concern and tenderness that she burst into tears. "Serena, baby?"

"Let's go Darien, I don't want to be here anymore." She said quietly. "I can't be here right now."

"Serena..." Andrew called from behind her "Can't we even meet him?"

"Why?" She turned rage reignited, "So you can tear him down like you do me? So you can make him feel like an outcast? I love him damn you all! I can't watch you treat him like you do me." Darien looked straight up into Andrew's eyes, meeting them with such dignity it almost knocked the blonde man over.

"What happened?" He directed the question to the room at large.

"Nothing happened, Darien, nothing at all; please I want to go home." The way she said it made him look down at her, her beautiful eyes were so filled with emotion.

"I can't and won't run away from your family Serena, you know that." He said gently brushing his lips against her forehead. "If they have something to say to me, maybe they could do me the courtesy of saying it to my face, and not at my fiancé." He directed that to the room again. His eyes had turned hard; he didn't like thinking that they had been tearing her down. She was his, and he wouldn't allow anybody, not even her family to tear her apart.

"Alright, we were all just wondering what a rich tycoon, with more money than god, would want with Serena, but I suppose she already answered that when she told us you got her pregnant!" Hack threw at him coldly. Michelle elbowed her hard in ribs, glaring death at her.

"What Hack means, is that we care about Serena, and we don't want to see her get hurt. It just strikes us as odd that you'd go after someone as…" Michelle began diplomatically.

"Someone as what? Sweet, loving, kind, amazing, beautiful? Or maybe you mean as innocent. The question shouldn't be why I would want her, the question is why would Serena want a jaded old fart like me." He said bluntly.

"You could have any woman you wanted…" Serena's mother started her voice slightly hoarse.

"Yes, and I picked Serena." He responded not unkindly.

"Yes but why?" Andrew asked slightly harshly.

"Because every minute I spend with her is amazing, it's better than the last, because when I think about her leaving or being with someone else…I feel empty." He was feeling things he didn't even know he could feel. It was as if his mind had shut off and his mouth was spouting everything within himself. Serena was staring at Darien, completely lost for words.

"Do you love her?" Sammy asked, smirking because he already knew the answer. Darien's heart stopped as for the first time ever, he knew the answer clearly.

"Yes I do." He said, he felt her gasp, he looked down at her and smiled. In Serena's mind that smiles meant that he didn't really mean it, that he was just saying for her family's sake. But her heart was beating far to fast, hearing him say that he loved her was more potent than anything she had ever experienced in her life.

"Well I guess it's settled then." Sammy said smoothly.

"I guess it is, except we don't know anything about you." Andrew said slightly amused by the way the bigger man was looking at his sister; clearly this wasn't about the baby she was carrying. He supposed he could be happy for her and this man who so obviously loved her.

"What exactly would you like to know?" Darien asked ever so pleasantly, with the first real smile of the evening on his handsome face.

"Take a seat, I have a list." Hack said gruffly.

"Alphabetized and everything." Michelle drawled sarcastically.

"Darien…" Serena began, prepared to head off the third degree.

"They do have a right to know sweetheart, besides it's karma for what I did to Jaden when he told me he was marrying my sister." He commented dryly.

"What did you do to him?" She asked curiously, the first sign of humor on her face.

"Uh, normally I'd love to tell you, but I don't want to give anybody any ideas." He smiled sheepishly. She laughed and kissed his cheek.

"Alright enough with the cuteness, I wasn't joking about that list, let's go Mr. Volpe." Hack interrupted, she was just slightly irritated now, he was charming, and clearly in love with her sister, but she was still suspicious.

"Sure, I have nothing to hide, Ms. Lane." He shot back smoothly, taking a seat on the indicated couch. Serena sat beside him, he took her hand gently in his, caressing it with his thumb.

"Where are you from?" Andrew asked calmly taking his seat as well.

"Red brook actually, but my headquarters are in Boston."

"No kidding, were you born here? I mean we've lived here forever, but…" Andrew said slightly excited

"No I'm not sure exactly where I was born, but it wasn't here, I spent the first 10 or so years of my life in Boston, and I moved here shortly after my father and mother got married."

"Oh, so the mansion is their's?" Hack asked smugly. He actually laughed.

"Oh good lord no, my mother was very poor, and my father…my father didn't have 2 pennies to rub together, the house is mine, I built it." He said actually wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

"So you don't come from money?" Serena's mother said stunned. "How on earth did you manage to make a billion dollars?"

"Hard work, determination, and no social life." He remarked smoothly smiling at the older woman. "My mother had nothing, but she did give me that."

"He actually made 30 billion for his company." Sammy chirped up.

"I forgot about my personal fan over here, you probably know more about me than I know about myself." Darien smiled over at the boy.

"Probably does, he practically stalks you." Serena added dryly.

"Comforting, I've never had a 12 year old boy stalk me before. I wonder wither Gus would defend me or laugh at me." Darien said to Serena stifling laughter at the thought of his bodyguard.

"You've been stalked before?" June asked alarmed.

"Only twice, both times by deranged teenage girls, Oh I guess it would be thrice including my Ex- nutter- girlfriend." He told her as if he were commenting on his shoes.

"That must have been scary, what happened?" June asked genuinely concerned.

"Nothing much, the girls were apprehended and I got them some help, clearly you'd need help to stalk me." He said smirking.

"What about the nutter ex?" Andrew asked curiously.

"Hopefully her family got her some help, deranged woman." He shuttered involuntarily.

"I'll say, I had this one crazy ex, followed me around until Hack over here…" Andrew began grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh don't, it's such a morbid topic!" Serena's mother shot. "Tell me Darien, do your parent's live with you?" she asked pleasantly, the smile left Darien's face, he was quiet for a moment.

"No, my mother died when I was 14, and as for my father I don't know where he is." He said softly.

"Oh my, who took care of you?" She asked concerned.

"They sent me and my sister to foster care for a few months, and then I took care of us." He told her gently.

"What about your father?" She probed.

"He wasn't really around, he just up and left after my mother died."

"So what did you do for money?"

"I got a job, sold things we didn't need anymore, did what I had to do to survive." He smiled weakly at the older woman.

"It must have been so difficult, how old was your sister?"

"It was, she was 4 when my mother died."

"Oh you poor thing, didn't your father at least send you money or anything?"

"No, my father was a drunk, he spent all his money on booze, and he was pretty much a bum." He told her smoothly, remembering years that he hadn't thought about in years.

"So you never saw him again?" the concern was slightly overwhelming. Darien looked at her for a long time, wondering wither he should tell her the truth.

"No I did see him again, when I was 16 he came back and lived with us for a while, it didn't really work out, and he left again." He said easily skipping the details.

"Why not?" Sammy asked rapt in the story.

"Because he…he spent all our money on booze, and he was just generally not a good influence on my little sister, I had to kick him out." His voice broke a little as he said it; Serena interjected quickly, seeing the hurt in his face.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" She asked grasping both his hands in her slender ones.

"No thank you, chin up baby." He said smiling sweetly at her. "I'm okay." He whispered knowingly to her.

"You poor thing, you'll stay for dinner won't you?" Serena's mother was clearly warming to Darien.

"I'd love to, except I can't, I haven't told my sister yet, and well, we have to plan the wedding before I tell her, and the longer I wait the angrier she'll get." He explained calmly. "But thank you for the offer."

"You haven't told your sister?" Serena and Hack asked at the same time.

"No, she's kind of a media darling, and she'll turn this into a three ring circus if she has her way." he smiled soothingly at Serena, "She keeps telling me to propose to you, I don't know what she's going to do when she finds out I already have."

"Does she know I'm pregnant?" Serena asked slightly alarmed.

"Are you mad woman? She'd beat me all the way up; to the three ring circus alter!"

"But she's so sweet…" Serena began.

"Oh she is generally sweet, but she's entirely too pregnant to remember that. No, no, we're not telling her that until we're far, far away on our honey-moon." He said shuttering at the thought.

"She must be huge for you to be that afraid of her." Sammy commented.

"Umm not really, she's about Serena's size, but she is hugely pregnant" He shuttered again.

"Wow just she must be a terror." Andrew added.

"Oh you wait about 6 months and Serena will be just the same, it's hormones, it makes them go crazy; my sister threw a skillet at me once during the third trimester of her first pregnancy." He looked up at Andrew who was laughing. "Oh I'm serious, luckily I ducked and it hit my brother-in-law instead."

"I'll keep that in mind, we'll just have to make sure you're always near by when Serena gets that way" Andrew said wryly.

"Thanks." Darien smirked.

"Where are you getting married?" Hack asked, she'd been quiet for a long time, Darien almost jumped.

"I was thinking a nice quiet church wedding." Darien responded whistfully.

"So no hiring out an entire Hotel this time?" Sammy asked with a hint of humor in his face.

"What do you mean 'this time'?" Hack asked sharply.

"This would be my second marriage." Darien responded easily.

"So you're divorced?" Hack asked coldly.

"Yes I suppose I am." He said calmly.

"So you got bored of her and left?" She accused.

"No, she cheated on me, so I left her." He said smoothly.

"Oh but I mean that happens in marriages sometimes, that's kind of harsh." Michelle probed gently.

"Normally I'd agree with you, but you see she cheated on me with my Father." He smiled coldly at Hack. "And I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to cuddle up to my wife after she did my father."

"Wow…" Andrew let out.

"Yah, quite a unique family I come from wouldn't you say?" He smiled deliberately at the shocked face of Serena and her family.

"Oh my goodness, you've had such a hard life…" Her mother said softly.

"Ayane and Serena make it all worth it." He smiled at her.

"Who's Ayane?" She asked curiously.

"Ayane is reason I met this beautiful lady, she's my daughter," He turned to look at Hack and smiled "Before you ask, I didn't know about her until my ex-wife died."

"Oh my!" Serena's mother said sharply, grasping her chest. "Sammy dear go grab my medicines will you?" Sammy ran off like a shot.

"Oh I hope I haven't upset you Mrs. Lane, my life isn't really all bad you know, I do have the most amazing family, and I just want to make Serena and her family part of it. I can understand your misgivings on me, but you have nothing to worry about, I'm not going leave her high and dry, I will honor her for the rest of our lives." His voice was so filled with emotion that Mrs. Lane started to cry.

"That's all I ever wanted for my daughter. I wanted her to find a man that would love her as much as I love her. I Know I haven't done a very good job of showing it, but when I look at her I think of my sister, and I never wanted the others to think that I loved her more. So I was harder on her, I'm so sorry Serena. I love you so much sweetheart, I'm sorry for everything. It's just as well that a man like this should come and take you away from us." She was sobbing so hard, Serena's heart twisted. She ran to her mother and took the older woman into her arms.

"Oh mom…" She sobbed. "Mom, I'm so sorry for what I said…"

"Oh I deserved it. I just wanted the best for you Serena; I didn't want you to marry someone that wasn't good enough for you." Her mother sobbed back. For a long time they both cried and held each other, Sammy having returned with the pills stared at them in absolute shock.

"Wow, you are good." Sammy whispered to Darien with a look of glee on his face.

"I don't think I did this one." Darien whispered back.

"Oh mom, your coming to the wedding right?" Serena asked pulling back and looking at her mother's old wrinkled face.

"Oh I don't deserve to see it, but yes baby I'll be there. Oh my sweet bunny, I'll be there." She sighed, "Oh I better take my medicines; I'm being so weepy and emotional."

"So I guess it's settled then." Hack said still starting at Serena and her stepmother. "I'm sorry I gave you the third degree Darien, but I'm very protective of my baby sister." she said softly.

"I can understand that, believe me you." He reached over and shook hands with the tall woman. "I won't do anything to hurt her."

"See that you don't." She said giving his hand a fierce squeeze. "Or I'll have to kill you."

"I don't doubt that for a second." He smiled at her.

"Do you play ball Darien?" Andrew asked, Sammy smirked evilly from behind his brother.

"Not with you I don't, Serena already told me about you." He smiled back, "Do you ride?"

"No he doesn't!" June and Serena responded in unison.

"I guess I'm not supposed to trust you with a horse…" Andrew commented smoothly.

"No, you're just not supposed to do anything that might hurt your back and you know it!" June raged. "That includes playing football!"

"A little friendly game of football isn't going to hurt me." He said slightly upset with her.

"It might, you promised me Andrew!" She said sounding positively hurt.

"Alright, I won't play football or go riding! Can I at least kick Darien's ass at some video game football?" He growled.

"Don't count on it." Darien smiled evenly.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Oh I think it is." Darien smirked devilishly.

"Men and their pissing contests," June jibed with a face of absolute disgust. "Get use to this Serena, they never grow up."

"Oh I'll kick both your girly asses!" Hack's roughly feminine voice said from somewhere to the left.

"Apparently neither to Lesbians." Michelle sighed. "So much for thinking I could escape machoism."

"Amen to that sister." Rita said smiling, "welcome to the club Serena."

"Thanks…I think?" Serena said smiling back.

In the end Serena's mother and family had coaxed Darien into staying for dinner. He had grown on them all; they were practically fighting over who got to sit by him at dinner. It was somewhere between cute and sick. Things had worked out beautifully, and at the end of the night Serena was heading over to spend the night with Darien with her mother's blessing no less.

"You must be a witch or something." She said to him a long time after they'd gotten in the car.

"Why do you say that?" he asked her stifling a grin.

"They were ready to burn you at the stake before you came by, and by the end of it they were practically worshipping you." She sighed deeply "That was amazing."

"Your family isn't so bad; they're just a little over protective of you." He smiled at her. "I can relate."

"Poor Rei." She was sure that's whom he meant.

"Umm poor Rei indeed, but I meant you Serena." That surprised her, and she was quiet for a long time.

"Darien about what you said…" She began.

"I meant everything I said Serena, everything." Her heart skipped a beat, no he probably just didn't remember saying he loved her.

"Oh I know you weren't lying it's just…" she awkwardly began, she didn't know what she wanted to hear. He looked at her and smiled deeply. He took a turn that Serena did not recognize and continued to drive down a dirty back road. "Where are we going?" She asked suddenly alarmed when all the lights disappeared.

"I'm taking you to my absolute favorite spot in the world; I think you and I need to talk." He didn't look at her as he said this, her heart stopped, was he going to tell her he didn't want to this after all? She felt herself freeze. "Oh for god sakes, it's not a bad talk!" he shook his head at her. "Just relax, I promise it's not bad." She nodded her head and breathed in deeply, she had to trust him and he said this wasn't bad. She relaxed a little and watched the street ahead of her narrow and then widen incredibly, until suddenly they were facing a small Waterfall.

"Oh my goodness it's beautiful." She gasped.

"It's even better in the daylight, I'll bring you back here one day." He promised her. They stared ahead at the waterfall for a long time until her turned to her. "Serena I want to tell you all the things I haven't had the guts to tell you before…baby I want to tell you about my life."

"Oh…" she said slightly stunned. "Okay…" He took a deep breath and looked ahead out of the window, into the world before him, the world he wanted to share with Serena. He started talking then his voice almost monotone.

"My mom was about your age when she got pregnant with me; my dad was a deadbeat loser who basically ran away. That left my mom to fend for herself; she got odd jobs and even odder boyfriends to make ends meet. None of them we're very good for her, the boyfriends treated her badly because they didn't want to become fathers. And the jobs didn't like that she had to keep a weird schedule to be able to take care of me. In the end she became a stripper." He took another deep breathe thinking back on some of his vaguer memories, memories he had refused to think about for years.

"She did what she had to do to take care of me and herself, that's when she met Malcolm's mother and that's how me and Malcolm became friends, we lived in the same building together, and our mothers worked together. Life was good for a few years, and then my father showed up again, he swore up and down to my mother that he had quit drinking and he wanted to be a family with us again. She loved him so much that she fell for it. They got married, and we moved here. A few months later we had Rei. And things were good for a while. And then he started hitting her… and then, he left and took all our money with him."

"He was in an out of our life for a few years, and then one night when I was fourteen he came back again. And I'd had it Serena, I couldn't do it anymore I couldn't watch him break my mother's heart, I couldn't watch him swear he loved her and then hit her. Maybe he did love her I don't even know anymore. But I just couldn't do it, so I headed him off, I told him to go to hell, that he wasn't welcome anymore, and he hit me so hard my head broke the door. That did it for my mother you see, she kicked him out and told him that he wasn't welcome here anymore, because hitting her was one thing, but hitting me was too much for her."

"Well one night I was off at a friend's, and he came back, and he…he beat the hell out of her Serena…he beat her half to death…." His voice broke then, he shuttered as he continued. "She was a bloody mess, when I got back; my little sister was locked in a closet screaming fit to wake the dead. She was choking on her own blood; by the time the ambulance got there she was already gone. He killed her…" She reached out instantly to comfort him, but he caught her hands in his, he shook his head. "Please I have to tell you everything baby." She nodded understanding.

"He killed her, and left us with nothing. We went to foster care for a while, it wasn't so bad, but then there was talk about separating us, and I couldn't lose Rei. I had lost everything else; I wasn't going to lose Rei. So I decided we had to leave Red Brook for a while, and we moved further out, I got horrible jobs, and started doing high school through correspondents. Thank god I looked older than I was, because if they'd known I was only 14, they'd probably have reported me to the authorities. I did what ever I could for Rei, I love her so much. Things were hard, but good. Then when I was 16 he came back, and begged me…begged me to forgive him, he was drunk he said, stoned out of his mind, he needed help, our mother would have helped him he said. I was young and I wanted a dad, so I forgave him, I let him live with us, at least then we could make enough money to make ends meet I thought." He looked at her softly sighing.

"He didn't help at all; he used our money for drugs and booze, and worse of all he stole from us. But I let it slide, he needed us you see. Mom would have helped him. Then one night he got drunk and locked my little sister in a closet, and when she wouldn't stop crying he opened the door and starting hitting her. He knocked her out poor baby, luckily for her I came home in time to save her….I don't know what I'd have done if I lost her…" He choked on the emotion.

"I knocked out his front tooth; I was a lot stronger than your average teenager thanks to the heavy manual work I'd had to do. I kicked him out and told him if I ever saw him again I'd kill him. Things definitely calmed down after that, until I met, and married Valessa. That woman was a walking disaster. She was a gold digger but I didn't know it. My father came back to us again, on hands and knees begging me to take him in, he had nothing to his name, Rei took pity on him and convinced me to allow him to live with us. So I did, I sent the old man to rehab and paid for much needed medical care. For the first time in my life Serena it felt like I had a father… at least for a while." He wouldn't look at her at all.

"For some reason Valessa thought all my money was my father's, and that he was somehow richer than me, so she had affair with him. Timings a bitch because she got pregnant, and now that I think on it I don't think she knew if it was mine or my father's. He caught wind of it, and ran like hell, a few weeks before she told me it was his. The idiot thought he was on vacation or something….she said I was impotent and worthless, bit of a shock for her when she realized the money was all mine. And then I kicked her out…." He was quiet for a long time after that. Then he looked at her and smiled weakly.

"My life has been one horrible event after another, with these moments in between that make it all worth it. You make it all worth it Serena, everything, if I had to go through all of this so that I could be with you…then it was all worth it. I have never felt what I feel for you with anybody else, it feels as if I'm not whole, and maybe I was never whole, but then you came along and you fill me to the brim. You are my obsession Serena…and I'm so scared…so scared that we will wind up like my mother and father…" Her lips cut the sentence short. She was kissing him with everything in her heart. It was tender, so tender, she adored his lips. He trembled against her kiss, and felt himself relax against her. He wrapped his arms around her to bring her closer. She was whispering something reverently against his lips. He pulled his head back and looked at her.

"What did you say?" He asked her brushing back her blonde hair.

"We are not going to be like them! You are a good man Darien; you would never do the things your father did…" She whispered.

"He thought he loved her…" He began miserably.

"He didn't love her, you don't do those kinds of things to people you love, he was just saying those words to make her take him back. When you love someone Darien you wouldn't hurt them like that…ever." She said softly, running the back of her hand against his cheek.

"I know that Serena…I know that now. Because when I look at you, all I want to do is protect you, and be with you. Serena…Serena I Love you." She gasped at the words she'd never expected to hear from him. "I love you so much." He whispered as he brushed his lips against her forehead, her nose, her lips, so gently she shivered.

"I love you Darien…but…"she said pulling back from him.

"But what?" He sounded so vulnerable; Serena felt something inside her stir. She wanted to protect him, to make everything bad in his life go.

"What about Setsuna…" She asked looking down, had he forgotten her so easily…would it be like that with her as well?

"Is that what's been bothering you? You think me and Setsuna are together?" He asked incredulously, he tilted her chin up and stared into her eyes. "Serena why can't you ever just trust me? Have I done something to make you think I'm a whore truly? I have to know."

"It's just…I don't know why you'd want to be with me Darien…and I mean you did completely ignore me after you saw her…I just…I don't know what to do with all of this." Her voice broke. "I love you so much Darien, and I don't want you to say it if you don't mean it."

"Oh but I do mean it, I mean it with all my heart. Serena, you are the most amazing, kind hearted woman I have ever met, you are so tender and loving…it makes me want to be better just for you. I want to be with you because you make me whole, you make me...so happy it hurts. Hell when you left Boston, I thought my life was over. My whole world begins and ends with you Serena…As for Setsuna…She's my sister." She did a double take.

"You're what?" She asked absolutely stunned.

"My half sister, as it turns out my father married a lot of women all over the place and fathered at least 5 other children. I've gotten hold of the some of them, but their all very reluctant to share what they know, my father has done some very terrible things. Between what I've garnered from then and our own experience it isn't enough to track down my father, or build a proper case. That is until Setsuna came forward with everything she knows. We might just be able to send him away for a very, very long time Serena." She gaped at him, unable to say anything for a long time.

"And I thought what happened to me was bad." She commented offhandedly not thinking.

"And what exactly happened to you?" He asked curiously.

"I..." She stared at him about to retreat until she saw the look on his face; he'd trusted her with something far deeper than her secret. She took a deep breath it was time to tell him.

"When I was in university, I was living on campus for a while. There had been a string of rapes, you probably heard about it." He nodded his head to this not liking where this was going. "Well one night I came back to the dorm late, I'd been out with my friend Lita…you know L.J. and well, it was dark in the corridor, and I was just trying to get back to my room, when I felt somebody following me. I tried to stay calm and kept walking to my dorm room. He followed me, and he grabbed me from behind. Threw me down on the floor, it was so cold…He started ripping clothes off and screaming at me to stay still, and stop fitting, he told me he'd kill me." She looked away from him.

"I started to cry and wail and beg…he got angry and started hitting me…had a knife…he stabbed me…down there…I remember the blood…the blood was everywhere…I started to scream and fight…and I guess somehow I kicked him off…but I couldn't move…I was bleeding everywhere. He took the knife to his lips…he licked it off." She trembled Darien drew her closer.

"He laughed, he actually laughed….and then he told he was going to fuck me until I begged him to stop, that he was going to cut my tongue out, that he was going to make me hurt…." She choked on the emotion. "I started to scream and reach for something anything to hit him with, and that's when I grabbed the lamp, I smashed him so hard over the head that he was knocked out." She stared out into space for a minute, before looking at him he looked absolutely horrified. "I can't remember anything else, except waking up in the hospital, I had 55 stitches…that's why I couldn't walk after our first time Darien…I'm a lot slenderer than the average girl because of the stitches."

"Did you see his face?" He asked her gently, his eyes were smoldering, someone had actually hurt his sweet Serena like that…he was mentally kicking himself for not being slower more gentle with her.

"No, I guess that's the problem I associated every man with him…until you…you made me want something I had thought I'd never want ever again. You made me feel safe Darien…I want to feel that way with you…I want to trust you….no more secrets between us okay?" She said solemnly.

"No more secrets between us…" He repeated holding her close. "I want to show you something Serena."

"Oh?" She murmured.

He reached into the glove compartment in front of her, and removed an object. He released her then and moved away opening his door and walking out. He walked to her door and opened it as well, he took her hand in his, "Come on" He said gently tugging, she followed without any protest, he lead her to the front of the waterfall to a tree she hadn't noticed before. Although as she looked at it she couldn't understand why, it was a majestic weeping willow he pulled her under its leaves towards the trunk. There carved into a heart was the words "_Sweet surrender_" she stared at those words for a moment not understanding.

"When I was 11 years old my mom, took me here and told me a story about a couple of star crossed lovers that were supposed to meet here and run off together. Midnight approached and she had still not arrived, he waited and waited and waited for her, but she never came. In his agony he bore into his chest the words "I surrender" then he lay on the ground and died. She came along a few minutes later, and he was gone, she lay on top of him and wailed, she did not want to live without him. So she bore into her own chest the words, "I surrender" And then lay on the ground beside her love, and died with a smile on her face. As it happened their unwillingness to live without each other, made this ground hallowed. And this tree grew from their bodies…the words eternally carved into its chest." He pointed at the words then. He smiled looking at her confused face, he bend down on one knee and took her hand in his.

"Until you I never understood this story Serena, those words, they are eternal…I can't live without you, and you are my sweetest surrender. I would give you anything; do anything to make you happy. I love you Serena, I will always love you, as long as I live, I will honor you, I will cherish you I will do it all. All I want from you is for you to love me back, even when I'm old and wrinkly, and if I'm penniless. Just love me that's all." He opened the box he'd removed from the car. Inside was the most gorgeous Solitaire diamond she'd ever seen it was clean and elegant. "This was my grandmother's engagement ring, and when I started my company it was all I had. And I figured if everything else failed at least I'd still have this. But now Serena nothing I own matters, because if I don't have you, I don't have anything. Will you marry me Serena? Will you truly be mine, no more doubts, no more secrets, just us, and our babies?"

She could hardly speak but for the emotions choking her. "Yes, yes I'll marry you Darien…yes!" She started to cry then, as he slid the ring onto her finger. He smiled at her as he pulled her into his arms and held her close.

"Forever and ever." He whispered.

"Amen!" She whispered back.

In fact that was the very song that played at their wedding. As they danced cheek to cheek, Serena gazed into the eyes of the man she loved and smiled.

"I have a surprise for you my love." He whispered to her.

"Oh and what's that." She whispered back, he'd been showering her with presents all week.

"Umm you, and me two days at a very swanky place called 'La Miranda'" La Miranda was a very exclusive spa slash couples resort out in Paris Texas, that was renowned for it's comfort luxury and total seclusion. She gasped, it was incredibly expensive.

"You shouldn't have…" She began concerned.

"Darling, we aren't really getting a honey-moon, and believe me I need a few days alone with you, I'm positively starved of you. It's only a few hours away…" He retorted

"But it's so expensive."

"Listen, you're going to have to get use to the fact that you are now a billionaire as well. Besides, I want to buy you pretty things, your just going to have to live with that!" He said stubbornly. She was spared a response when Ayane tugged at her dress.

"Can I dance too?" She asked nervously, Darien grinned maniacally as he reached down and picked up his little girl placing her somewhat between them. "Now we are a family!" She giggled. "And daddy won't get rid of me!" Darien stopped dead and turned to look at his daughter.

"What did you say?" He asked her concerned.

"Well now that Serena's here, you won't get rid of me. I can stay forever!" Darien's heart broke suddenly.

"Baby, why would you ever think I'd want to get rid of you? I love you! You're my daughter; you're the very best part of me!" he looked deeply into her eyes. "You are always going to be my daughter, and you are always going to have a place in my world, do you understand that?" She started to cry then as she dragged her arms around her father's neck.

"I love you daddy!" She sobbed into his throat. He held her and his new wife for a long time. He was so alone only a few months ago and now he had more love in his arms than he thought his heart could handle.

The wedding had been a tiring ordeal, with family, friends and the works, in the end Rei had found out, and chased Darien out of the house with a skillet. She had planed the whole thing, which as Darien had predicted had turned into a three ring circus. She had even made all the Women in the some 40 plus bridal party's clothing. She had also made the decadent white wedding gown Serena had worn. Hack, June, Michelle, Rei, and Ami, had all been part of the wedding party with Lita being Serena's maid of honor. Setsuna had been invited but had been out of range from them, and nobody knew where exactly she was. Mina, Malcolm and Yaten were all still in Boston, and couldn't make it to the wedding.

So Darien's best man had ended up being Nathan, as Jaden had opted out, wanting to escort his beautiful, but moody wife up the aisle. With Zoey, Andrew and Sammy being among the groom's men. Some of the numerous groomsmen were people Darien had never even seen in his life. Mostly male model pretties and good looking accountants from Darien's and Rei's offices.

As Michelle and Hack escorted each other up the aisle, and June and Andrew each other, Zoey wound up escorting Ami. Neither of them even looked at each other, except for the occasional glance stolen the entire way up. They weren't fooling anybody it was obvious to everybody including some of the male model pretties who stayed clear of Ami for fear of Zoey. However, one of the accountants from Rei's office, coyly slipped Ami his number, and naturally this lead to yet another catastrophic fight between the two.

By the end of the night, four glass bowls were smashed and the frozen statue was completely destroyed. The happy couple was incredibly glad when the whole event was done and they were off to their honey-moon.

The Hotel room was absolutely beautiful, it was all done it beiges and creams. Except for the large kind size bed in the middle, it was made in Silky red sheets.

"To bad it isn't one of those old heart shaped wonders." Serena said tongue-in-cheek.

"I don't know I like it…its kind of kinky." He said arching his eyebrow suggestively.

"I didn't think you were into that kind of thing." She said in sham shock.

"Oh too late to back out now Mrs. Volpe, you're all mine now." He grinned devilishly.

"And you're all mine." She said in a husky little whisper as she shoved him onto the bed.

"Whoa…are you trying to seduce me?" He said faintly shocked/

"Umm, looks that way doesn't it." She said arching a mischievous eyebrow, as she bent over him, inches away from her mouth. She lowered her head incrementally, grinned all the way down, stopping a hair breath from what he wanted. "But then again…" She whispered slowly. "I am pretty tired…" She pulled away grinning evilly. Darien made a low groan in his throat, before he reached out and pulled her back down to his mouth.

"Devil woman!" he accused, before she slammed her seductive mouth against his. At first it was rough, he plundered it with the hunger he'd felt for her, holding her there with his strong arms. But then it became slow and gentle, teasing brushing, loving. He tasted her lips, and ever so gently slid his tongue sensuously into her mouth. Slowly he built a rhythm that had her trembling; she pulled at his shirt, biting at his lip insistently. His hands reached up to her, stroking her neck to waist, with slow precise movements. He pulled his mouth away from her, giving her tender kisses from the edge of her mouth to her soft collar bone. He bit her there gently, suckling. She gasped out.

"Haven't you ever had a hickey before?" He asked huskily, as his hand slid to the nape of her neck, moving her ever closer to his mouth.

"N…no" she managed. He made a soft sensuous sound his throat.

"I love how innocent you are." He whispered reverently. "I'm sorry I wasn't tender our first time…but this time will be different, I'll make you tremble Serena, I'll give you more pleasure than you can handle." As he said the words, he lay her down underneath him on the bed.

"No fair, how come you always get to be on top?" She said with mock stubbornness.

"Next time you can be on top if you want…you can do whatever you want to me Serena…I'll take you anyway you let me." He whispered brushing his thumb against her soft lips.

"Really? You'd let me?" She asked slightly surprised.

"Of course, you're my wife…we'll have plenty of time to come up with interesting poses and positions don't you know." He smiled indulgently.

"Umm…How kinky." She murmured, and that was last sane thought she had.

In the end she was trembling so badly, wanting him to end it, but still he continued, tormenting her, pleasing her. He was shaking too, and still he kept giving her more and more. He looked down into her urgent eyes, begging him for fulfillment; he smiled as he entered her, she arched her hips up desperate to feel all of him. He caught her with his trembling hands. "Slowly baby, there's no rush." She cried out in frustration, he smiled sweetly, running his hands down between where they were joined. Her nails bit into his shoulders in response. She screamed out his name, she writhed under his touch, under the feel of him. It was almost too much for her. He stilled her with his hands, and with agonizing tenderness filled her completely.

"Ohh Serena…" He groaned, looking into her eyes, his body arched over hers, as he created a lazy rhythm with her soft body, he dragged it out giving her what she wanted. He watched her achingly reach up to touch him. She tautened her muscles in a slow easy rhythm that almost brought him to fulfillment. He gasped out, trembling.

"Tell me Darien…say it to me…" She demanded as she continued the aching caress.

"I love you…oh god Serena…it's too much…I love you…." He screamed out, as he suddenly reached out pinning her down with his arms. He drove to fulfillment, and she followed him, reaching heights they'd never reached before. She bit at his shoulder at the last, before they both went over the edge into that deep spiraling ecstasy. They lay together a long time after, still joined, he lifted off her, only to feel her urgent hands pulling him back down towards her.

"No…not yet, don't leave…" She said softly. The last vestiges of fulfillment were still rocking his body; he gladly shared this with her, smiling at her beautiful face. "You're…moving…" She gasped.

"Not quite…" He replied back, leaning slightly forward to give her the full extend of him. "I love giving you pleasure Serena…I love watching you." He whispered brushing her hair of her face slowly. They lay together for a long time, content to remain joined watching each other. "Am I hurting you?" He asked her finally, when he felt her move underneath her.

"No…I just…" She blushed scarlet.

"What is it baby? What do you want?" He asked her warmly.

"I want to again…do you think you can?" She asked averting her eyes. He looked at her for a moment and then laughed gently.

"Can't you feel me?" He asked her. "Don't your already know the answer?" He smirked, as he moved slightly deeper inside of her. She gasped. "Do you want to be on top this time?"

"Yes…if you don't mind." She whispered shyly.

"Mind…I find the idea wildly erotic." He grinned manically as he brushed his lips against her. "How is our baby?" He asked as he ran his hand across her still flat belly.

"I think he's okay." She smiled.

"He?" He arched an eyebrow. "I don't think so; I think we're having a girl."

"How would you know? He's in me!" she pointed out.

"Oh you're virgin what do you know! I put her in there; trust me it's a girl."

"I'm certainly not a virgin anymore; I'm an old married maid now." She smiled gently.

"Do you mind?"

"Not as long as you're my husband" He kissed her then deeply. "Umm, I don't even care if we have a girl, I just hope it'll be healthy and happy…and to look just like you." She nuzzled into his neck.

"I love you…" He whispered as he kissed her, silently thanking god for all his blessings. As long as he lived, he'd never stop being thankful for his beautiful bride. In sickness and in health, good or bad, he'd surrendered his entire being to her, and there was no where to go but forward.

Maybe happily ever after did happen, even to jaded old Tycoons with more money than god.

(A/n: Alright guys, I'd like to start by saying, I'm sorry I waited for two years to get this chapter out, and I hope it was worth the wait. This story has been a labor of love, and it's possibly the only story I have ever finished. I am so glad that you guys followed me through this journey. I know I started this story when I was 15 years old, and I didn't think then that I was going to get the enormous response I have to this story. I am so grateful to all you guys for having kicked my ass into writing this chapter, I dedicate this story to all you guys, who never let me give up on Sweet Surrender. I hope I didn't disappoint you guys with this final piece. Now that I'm back in the swing of things, and finally over my crazy two year writers block, I should mention that I do plan to write several other stories about the characters in this story. And I hope you guys will follow through and read my other stories. Well this is it….the end of Sweet Surrender, but the beginning of the Volpe series. Thank you so much.

Ps. Please check back for an epilogue, I promise it'll be worth it.)


	13. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

He was absolutely perfect to look at. His dark hair tousled, and his features relaxed in sleep. He looked so peaceful; she almost didn't want to wake him up. She sighed deeply as she leaned over and brushed her lips against his forehead, smiling at how sweet he looked. She shook him roughly, which barely did anything as he was easily twice her size. She sighed nudging him firmly in the ribs. Still nothing, she nudged him again this time a little harder. He only groaned and rolled over. She laughed at the absurdity of it.

She leaned over him, "Darien wake up please." She said not unkindly. "Wake up!" She said a little louder, nothing, he hardly stirred "Oh for love of…" She muttered angrily. "WAKE UP!!" she half screamed at him, he only mumbled something swatting at her. She stood there for a minute, wondering how to wake him. Well desperate times called for desperate measures. She leaned close to him, nibbling at his ear. She smiled as he stirred ever so slightly to the contact. She moaned softly, a smile crossed his face. Then in the sultriest voice she could muster, she whispered into his ear, things that would be considered illegal in some countries, things that she claimed she would do to him if he would just wake up!

"Umm…you're kinky…but I don't think our bed's big enough for that last one." He informed her in a groggy voice; he reached out and grasped her pulling her towards the bed and himself.

"Oh for the love of…Darien come on, get up!" She growled fending him off.

"I don't want to…" He murmured, attempting to kiss her. "You smell nice…" He added as he inhaled her sweet scent.

"Darien!! Listen to me; you have to wake up…" She began.

"Why? I've got everything I want right here…" he informed her, as he began to plunder her sweet mouth.

"Because… you're…sister… is having the baby…" She got out between kisses. He froze for a second poised in between kisses.

"She's having the what?" He asked her not sure that he heard her correctly.

"The baby, your niece," She offered. He let her go then, scrambling of the bed and towards his closet.

"Oh my god, why didn't you tell me that to begin with?" He growled at her absurdly grasping at clothes.

"I tried Darien!" She glowered at him. "But you were a little to busy kissing me!"

"If you weren't so damn sexy we wouldn't have this problem…" He mumbled, the room was dark and he had no idea what he was shoving onto his nearly naked body.

"Hasn't anybody ever told you not to get a pregnant lady angry?" She demanded angrily, she was about ready to smack him upside the head.

"You'd think so, but no." He responded pleasantly, turning to face her, arching a mischievous eyebrow. He expected her to be pissed, but he got nothing even remotely lose to that reaction. She was in fact stifling giggles.

"Oh darling…" She couldn't hold it in anymore, and started to laugh uncontrollably. "Oh…Darien…that…is… a…really…sexy shade…" She managed in between huge fits of giggles. "It looks better on you…than it did on me…" He looked down then, and was stunned into silence, he'd mistakenly grab one of her maternity shirts; it was in the amiable shade of Hot pink the words "Baby on board" printed across the front. He grimaced as he began to undress himself again. She was almost doubled over laughing.

"It isn't funny; at least I didn't put on your pants or anything." He grumbled angrily.

"Oh love…I think you stretched that poor thing out…" She laughed pointing at the shirt that was easily twice its original size. He glared at her, the words were now bulbous and oddly shaped. He reached into his own closet then grabbing a tee-shirt, which he double checked to insure, was his own.

"Why don't you go wake up Sheila, instead of laughing." He asked grumpily.

"Oh I would, except she's at her sister's or have you forgotten?" She smiled deviously. "Aren't you supposed to be the night owl?"

"Aren't you supposed to be nice to your husband?" He responded. Internally he was trilled just for the sight of her. He loved this woman with all his heart.

"That's what they keep telling me," She sighed. "But then their not married to the devil in Armani." She smiled not meaning a word of it. Her whole world was that man standing grumpily glaring fire at her. Suddenly and rather unrepentantly he smiled beautifully. Extending his arms out to her, without even the slightest bit of hesitation she ran into his formidable arms. He held her close inhaling her sweetness. "Oh I Love you Mr.Volpe" She mused. He smacked her bottom lightly.

"Don't call me that, it makes me feel old." He grumbled in sham.

"But you are old, you're an old married man" She smiled deviously. "And don't you go forgetting that! You're all mine Darien." She informed him matter- of- factly.

"As if I could," He said smugly, he was a man loved and he knew it. "You know, Ayane is asleep…" He grinned, running his callused hands down her body, in that flimsy little white nightgown she favored.

"Your sister's having the baby!" She growled, only half protesting.

"So? It'll take hours before she actually gives birth…" He was starting to unbutton her nightgown.

"Umm…get going." She said pulling away sharply. She was barely in control.

"But Serena…" He grumbled taking a step towards her.

"If you come any closer Darien, I'll cut you off!" She warned. He stopped then frowning slightly.

"I'm sorry you'd what?" He asked, carefully guarding his privates, coyly.

"Oh for God sakes! I'll cut you off from Serena loving!" She said having noticed the little motion he made. He gasped out loud, grabbing at his chest pretending to fall over.

"Oh my heart…Serena quick you'll have to resuscitate me!" He said falling flatly onto their bed.

"Oh no!" She said in sham horror. "Hey mister do you have candy in your pants?" She asked putting on her best childlike voice.

"Come and have a look." He dared.

"Darien!" She half screamed in surprise as he grasped her and pulled her onto of him.

"Couldn't resist ha?" He asked grinning manically. "I know animal magnetism and all that."

"Yah something like that," She glowered at him. "Darien your sister…" She said helpless as he began to kiss her all over again. "Please…" She mumbled, but she didn't know exactly what she was saying please to anymore.

"This is one time D.V time wouldn't be a bad thing." He commented turning her on her back, still devouring her mouth. He had unbuttoned her dress down the front and was busy stroking her, feeling her soft silky skin. She was lovely, the most beautiful creature, her big blue eyes were almost completely dilated from what he was doing to her. And just when he was about to explore her more intimately, a knock on the door followed by a wailing little girls voice promptly sounded.

"Just in time, the Daddy-can't-get-action patrol," he grumbled releasing her and adjusting himself. "I love that little girl, but some days…" He mumbled unhappily walking towards the door, he turned first to make sure Serena was properly covered up before unlocking the door.

"Daddy! Uncle Jaden's on the phone…he's very angry." She said handing him the cordless whipping her sleep tired eyes. Darien took the phone and his daughter into his arms.

"Hello Uncle Jaden," Darien said comically.

"Don't you Uncle Jaden me! Where in the seven rings of hell are you?" He growled. "You had better be half dead or else dying!"

"Surely she's still in labor…" He grimaced wondering how much time had gone by while he'd been busy with Serena.

"Yes she is, but the baby's almost here…I told her to call your stupid ass when she went into labor, but no she makes me call you just before the baby's here! Damn you and your stupid Darien Volpe time!" He was actually yelling.

"Jaden, you're her husband I'm just her big brother…" He didn't understand why the big man was getting so angry about him not being there.

"They had to sedate her a few minutes ago Darien! They're afraid they might lose her and the baby, my brilliant wife decided that it wasn't important to tell me that this was a trouble pregnancy!" He growled furiously. "Get your brunette idiotic ass down here!"

"Oh dear god…" He mumbled feeling totally ashamed of himself. "Where's Kasumi?" He asked lost for anything else to say. Jaden sighed deeply.

"With us, there wasn't time to get a baby sitter or anything, she went into labor and half dragged me to the car, I should have known why she was so anxious." He sounded distant and hurt.

"Jay, everything will be okay. My sister is a fighter, and if my niece is anything like her, everything will be fine." He promised, "I'll bring Ayane and Serena with me too, to keep Kasumi occupied." He offered. Clearly Jaden would much rather be in the delivery room with his wife, but he probably couldn't not with a little child with him.

"That probably is a good idea; they won't let me in there with her…" He mumbled sadly. "Hurry up Darien, please for the love of god don't use D.V time!" With that he hung up, Darien turned nimbly to look at Serena.

"Get dressed, Ayane you too, we have to go to the hospital, double time." He said firmly. Taking charge becoming the man Serena loved so dearly. In half the time it took for him to say the words Serena was across the room and in sweats, and out the room dressing Ayane. He in the meantime rushed down and grabbed some snacks and like for his niece and daughter.

In less time than he could ever remember taking to go somewhere, they were out the car and rushing into the hospital. It didn't take long to find the appropriate waiting room and anxious Jaden sitting with his head down and daughter asleep in his lap.

"Hey." He said unable to even muster the strength to sound even remotely okay. He looked beaten. Darien ached for him, he didn't know what he'd do if it were Serena in Rei's place. "Kasumi," he shook her slightly. "Look who's here." He said halfheartedly. She looked up and smiled tiredly at her father, and then over at her cousin. She half jumped out and ran over to Ayane. They embraced and giggled innocently talking far to fast.

"Why don't we go get some jello or something girls?" Serena offered both girls lit up like spark plugs.

"Yah!" they chorused grinning from ear to ear, Serena held their hands and lead them towards the cafeteria. As soon as they were out of ear shot Darien turned towards his brother-in-law.

"Alright, any news?" He asked solemly.

"No, they took her to surgery a few moments ago, their working on the baby right now as well." He commented hollowly. "They won't even tell me what we had." He said sadly.

"I thought you knew, wasn't it a girl?" He asked confused.

"We thought so up until the last sonogram, they said they couldn't tell, and that the first doctors were probably wrong, they think it might be…a hermaphrodite." He said looking away as tears fell haplessly from his eyes.

"Would that matter?" He asked concerned.

"Yes! Well not to us, but God Darien, think about the life we'd be bringing our child into. How cruel would that be? They'd go through school being both, or worse we'd have to choose…what if we choose wrong…" He looked unapproachably sad.

"It will all work out Jay, it always does, remember the fear we had when Kasumi was born, and everything turned up roses didn't it?" He asked reasonably.

"Lightening doesn't strike twice…" Jaden said sadly.

"Sure it does, look at our life! You and Rei, me and Serena, hell even Malcolm and Mina…their living together now, I've never seen the big man smile so much in my life!" He glared fire at his brother-in-law. "Hell even your stupid brother and Ami, don't be so defeatist! We are the luckiest men around, look at your daughter Jay! She's so bright, and they thought she'd…"

"Don't say it…" Jay said raising his hand in a sort of shield. "This is different Darien…I might lose Rei…" His voice broke then. "The only person I've ever loved." He looked away abruptly. "How would you feel if you were in my place?" He asked growling.

"I am in your place!" Darien glared right back. "She's my baby sister Jaden!" He looked straight at the other hand. "She is not going to die!"

"How do you know that for sure?" He asked turning fiercely.

"Because, she's a stubborn ox, just north of you and me! She won't let go Jaden, she has to much to live for this time around!" He gave Jaden a pointed look. Jay smiled then weakly.

"God your perceptive, did she tell you about the last time around?" He asked carefully.

"No, but I know my sister, I know when she's giving up." He looked at Jaden then, "You hurt her terribly didn't you?" He said calmly.

"I'd rather not talk about that now." He said clearing his throat. "It's a story that is Rei's place to tell and not my own."

"Oh you would say that, regardless, if you made her cry back then I'll pummel you." He was only half joking. The first few months of their marriage had been tumultuous, Jaden had never known love, and he'd acted as what he'd seen his father do to his mother. But that was all over now, Jaden had learned hard lessons then, lessons he'd never forget.

"I suppose I deserve it for I did to her." He sighed. "But I swear Darien…I didn't know how to be in love." He looked his brother in law in eye. "Poor girl, you were all shook up about Valessa and your father, she had no where to go about what a prick she'd married." He smiled weakly, that wasn't entirely correct. There had been Yaten, whose memory actually sent a swig of pain down his jaw. "You ought to thank Yaten on day; he beat the holy hell out of me once." He smiled at the memory.

"Oh I know, but he wouldn't tell me why." He said scrutinizing his brother in law. "Feel like sharing?" He asked sweetly.

"I made her cry, I'd rather not say what about." He said looking at Darien evenly. "And Yaten came after me, and found my drunken ass at the bar, he tried reasoning with me, and well that didn't work, so I took a swing at him, and he beat the hell out of me." He smirked. "I'll never forget Rei's face when Yaten dragged my hung over ass home." It had been the most horrified face he'd ever seen, she was running around trying to find antiseptic and crying the whole time, asking him where it hurt. There had never been a moment so tender in his life before that.

Darien was spared a response when a chipper doctor walked out, smiles all around.

"She's okay, and your son is doing well as well." She said turning to look at Jaden, whose eyes had widened like saucers.

"My son?" He asked the relief palpable.

"Yes, and what a beautiful little boy he is, dark hair and violet eyes." She smiled easily. "Everything is okay, she lost some blood, but we're confident she'll recover in no time, Congratulations." She said shaking Jaden's relieved hand.

"Can we see her?" Darien asked, because Jaden clearly couldn't.

"Oh yes, she's been asking about her brother though…" She frowned slightly. "Something about a skillet, she's still a little woozy." She said thoughtfully, Darien actually grimaced, he knew he was going to get it when he saw her.

A few minutes later, Jaden, Serena, the girls and Darien who was hiding rather ineffectively behind his wife walked into the Rei's room. She looked exhausted but lovely holding her small baby in her arms.

"Hi…" She said hoarsely looking at everybody who'd come in. "This is Hitomy Jacob Connor" She said softly. "Hitomy, this is everybody." She smiled gently, lovingly at her husband. "I think he wants to meet his Daddy." She smiled ever so gently handing him the bundle. He looked at the little thing in his arms with so much love it was almost painful.

"Hi little guy, I'm your daddy." He smiled the sleeping mass. "God you're beautiful, just like your mommy." He said admiring the little wisps of dark hair looming over his baby's eyes.

"I want to see!" Kasumi raged, tugging at her father's pants. He chuckled bending down so she could look at her little brother.

"She's pretty!" Kasumi smiled sweetly.

"She's a He, honey, you have a brother." Jaden told her. She glared fire at him.

"I don't want a brother! You said a sister!" She growled furiously.

"My mommy's having a sister…we can trade!" Ayane offered diplomatically. Serena's heart jumped, Ayane had never called her mommy before.

"Okay!" Kasumi said walking away with disgust at the sight of the brother she clearly didn't want.

"Girls!" Rei said with visible amusement in her voice. "You can't switch siblings, believe me I tried." She glared furiously at Darien. "You have to love what you get." She told them both. Ayane and Kasumi made a face.

"I don't want a brother…" Kasumi whinned.

"Neither did I, but as much as your uncle is slow as the devil, a jerk, and completely to into himself to be normal," Rei said in a plaintive voice. "He's the best big brother in the world, and you know what, your little brother is going to be the best little brother too." She smiled at her daughter who sighed angrily.

"Will he be all big and nice like uncle Darien?" She asked after a minute. "Or all smelly and weird like uncle Zoey?" She asked innocently. Darien had to look away.

"Your uncle Zoey isn't smelly!" Jaden defended.

"Uncle Darien says he is…" She said motioning to the man who had now almost completely hidden behind his petite wife.

"Darien!" Jaden and Rei growled in unison.

"Well he is! He wasn't living with you, smelling up your house." He growled back.

"Whose fault was that?" Rei asked him glaring death at him.

"Mine…" He sighed, Zoey had moved back to Boston after Darien and Serena had got married he couldn't stand being around the happy couple.

"Right you are! And you're a jerk!" Rei raged. "Quit hiding behind Serena! I don't like yelling at her to get at you!" She looked for a minute as if she was going to jump out of her bed and smack him.

"Rei, leave your jerk of a brother alone, you can show up late when we have ours." Serena added smoothly.

"Oh I will, and I'll chase him down the waiting room with a cast iron skillet! And this time I won't miss." She warned darkly.

"Serena! Defend my honor!" He growled at his wife.

"Oh love you know I won't let Rei beat you too badly with that skillet." She grinned at Rei who grinned back. "But I will be giving birth; I'll probably want to beat you with that skillet…" She murmured thoughtfully. He glared at her then.

"Turn coat." He mumbled in sham anger.

"Well if we're all done being cozy, there actually was a reason I called you out here today Dar." She smiled. "Not just cause I wanted my big brother with me either."

"Oh?" Darien asked, sensing that joke time was over.

"Me and Jaden would like for you and Serena to be the god parents of little Hitomy over here," She grinned at the look of awe on her brother's face. "what do you say?" Serena grinned back at the woman that she'd gotten very close with in the last couple of months. And answered for the both of them, an overwhelming yes.

"Well it's funny that should mention that, Darien and I were going through some legal work, and well we want to know if you'll be Ayane's godparents." She smiled back, Rei's eyes were so violet the threatened to burst.

"Oh! Yes! Of course we will!" She announced, grinning widely.

"Aren't we just an amazing family?" She smiled taking her son back from Jaden. "Jerk-face did you want to hold your nephew?" She asked him smiling deeply. Darien came rather reluctantly up to take his nephew in his arms.

"My nephew and god-child." He smiled deeply, loving the baby in his arms. He smiled looking at Serena, his whole world was in this room right now, his entire family.

It use to be just him and Rei, now they had so much love between the both of them that it was humbling. Impulsively he bent down and kissed his sister on the cheek.

"I love you Rei. I wouldn't trade you, stinky husband and all, for anything in this whole world." She cried then hugging her big brother close.

"I love you to Dawwy!" They looked at each other and smiled, all the struggles they'd faced were now just sad memories collecting dust. There were too many good ones left for them to find. Too much happiness to pine over the sadness, too much of all the things that were important.

Vaguely Darien wondered about Zoey and Ami, about Malcolm and Mina and Nathan. Though Malcolm seemed pleased, there was still that hollowness in him. He didn't like to think about that, he cared for his friends so very much, silently he prayed that all of them would have a story book ending like his.

And you know, deep down he knew they probably would.

(A/n: Okay guys, that it for Darien and Serena, and I'm not sure who's next, be sure to email or review with your suggestions on whose story to write next. please review! I spent so many sleepless nights finishing this…and fan fiction will probably beat me with a stick for having like 2 reviews…Hangs head in shame Remember more reviews the faster the next story goes up! Yes I'm bribing you. )


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